Kite Strings and Sealing Compound
by Lurkerlynne
Summary: What would it take for Starscream to leave the Decepticons? A repost version of my story
1. Kite Strings and Sealing Compound

I've picked up my story again and decided that since it's been over a year since the last story was posted, I would start over.

Thing's've been tweaked here 'n there, some stuff that wasn't working has been removed- had an idea that turns out I wasn't following and it sorta sat like a speed bump in the story. :/

Title: Kite Strings and Sealing Compound  
Author: Lurkerlynne  
Characters: Starscream and many, many others  
Rating: R  
Summary: 'I do not _snuggle_, Prime!"  
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!  
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes. Mwahahaha! :}  
Author Notes: I did some alterations, tweaking things here 'n there, and combined all six chapters into one.

* * *

Part 1

Starscream watched the sparkling sitting on his berth and scowled; this was one of Megatron's more absurd plans. He was completely fragged in the processors if he thought it would succeed.

"Up!" the sparkling demanded, hands reaching for him.

"I do not _snuggle_, Prime," he coldly informed the miniature Autobot. Primus on a pogo stick, this was going to be a disaster.

"Up!" Prime nearly whined, optics starting to gleam with cleaning fluid.

"No."

Prime's mouthplates trembled and the fluid gathering in his optics started to drip down his faceplates. Starscream vented air sharply, then gave in and picked up the undersized Autobot.

Who promptly snuggled against his cockpit with a contented chirp, his optics shuttered partway.

"Primus!" Starscream sat down heavily on his berth, watching as the sparkling stuck a digit in his mouth.

'Turn Prime into a sparkling, raise him as a Decepticon.' Starscream snorted- Optimus Prime would be as successful a Decepticon as Megatron would a humanitarian. The science behind it all was still too new; the programming for the picotrons' acceleration of growth wasn't ready. Primus, he hadn't been entirely certain Prime would survive the regression!

Too bad Prime hadn't been carrying the Matrix. It would have almost been worth everything to have that in Decepticon hands.

Fussing interrupted his musings and Starscream reached for the cup of energon on the berthside table, which was designed similarly to a human 'sippy cup.' Capturing Prime's hands long enough to keep the sparkling from spilling the energon, Starscream settled in for the fueling.

It had taken careful planning to get Prime alone, to take him alive, and more careful planning to keep him captive long enough to get the mech into the reversion device.

Prime's scream of pain as the device activated still rang in his audios, as did Megatron's chuckle when he retrieved the reformatted Autobot. He had grinned at the small, trembling form in his grasp before handing it over to Starscream with a malicious grin and the order: "Take care of that."

The miss-clocked bot-slagger.

It had taken nearly a joor to settle the terrified sparkling. He'd retreated to his quarters, not wanting to deal with the teasing and comments from the other Decepticons. Soundwave had stopped by a few breems in to drop off bedding and sparkling-appropriate energon, all without saying a word but still managing to convey his distaste for the plans. Starscream agreed; sparklings had no place in an army. They were to be raised outside the war, and especially not within a hemisphere of Megatron.

Letting go of Prime's hands, Starscream watched him grip the energon cup and try to hold it. It had a taken a bit of guesswork but he had finally figured out how to retract Prime's stupid battlemask into his helm, which solved the initial problem of how to fuel the little bootleg.

Predictably, after fueling, Prime fell into recharge. Starscream settled him into the small nest of blankets he'd created on the berth next to the wall; he'd online if the sparkling tried to crawl off somewhere. He'd have to come up with something else soon though. A barriered recharge berth or something like it.

A quick inspection revealed that the sparkling had the connectors he'd need to carry Prime on his back. In light of his new position as sparkling-sitter, Megatron had relieved him of his regular duties and he intended to spend his time in the lab. Carrying Prime on his back would free his hands for labwork and allow him to keep track of the sparkling, as well as help protect him from the other Decepticons.

Realizing he was petting the small helm, Starscream snarled and snatched his hand away. He refused to acknowledge how good it felt to hold a sparkling again, or how part of him softened at the small vocalizations. _His_ sparkling had died vorns ago, along with his sparkmate, and then he'd lost Skyfire a few short stellar cycles later, leaving him alone in the universe.

Megatron knew all this and _still_ assigned him this duty! Unicron take him to the deepest levels of the Pit.

Settling at his desk, trying to ignore the soft sounds of a recharging sparkling, Starscream checked long-dormant data connectors on his back. The growth process required special educational programs to be downloaded as markers were reached, but those could wait until he was certain things were proceeding as planned. He had the regular education downloads already in his memory banks; he'd thought about deleting them after...

After. But he couldn't; they had chosen those programs together, had even written a few. Those lines of code were the only thing he had left of his love, his creation and his best friend. So he had just shoved the files as deep into his memory as he could and and tried to forget.

The backing system included filters and a converter for fueling a sparkling. He'd need to increase his consumption of energon, but this way he could be certain of the purity of it, since he wouldn't put it past his 'comrades' to contaminate energon and laugh at him as he dealt with a sick sparkling. Prime wasn't getting anything he himself hadn't checked first. And he needed to come up with a different designation. Letting the diagnosis run in the back of his processors, Starscream found himself watching the sparkling, considering. The little frame bore only a slight resemblance to the Autobot leader; still blue, red and silver, but his antennae were shorter- the longest barely reached the top of his helm, the broad chest and shoulders slimmer, voice high-modulated instead of a smooth rumble. The speed and grace of the adult was only hinted at in the sparkling.

This was not Optimus Prime. It was... Optronix. Yes, that would do.

Part 2

It wasn't working. Slaggit, the picotrons weren't working! Starscream buzzed in frustration, shoving his chair away from the desk.

"Stasceam? Can get up now?"

Starscream rose, sending one last scowl to the monitor, and moved to the examination table. Optronix lay on it, lost under a snarl of leads connecting him to various diagnostics, holding 'Thing', a lime-green, three-eyed stuffed cloth monster nearly half his size. There was plenty of room for the toy and Optronix withstood the examinations better if he could hold onto something; Starscream needed to have both hands free and couldn't accommodate.

"Yes, you may get up." Starscream laid a restraining hand on the sparkling. "But after I disconnect you."

"Kay." Optronix lay back down, twiddling with one of Thing's floppy ears while he waited.

A corner of Starscream's lip components twitched in amusement- Frenzy had been the one to find the mutant monster; where, he hadn't said and Starscream hadn't asked. Optronix loved it. He had brightened and beeped in delight when Frenzy had presented the obnoxiously-colored toy to him. It held up well to the abuses of a sparkling, as well as the tests Starscream subjected it to whenever it got misplaced and returned.

"I okay?" Large optics peered up at him, brightness dimmed a bit with worry.

"You're fine," Starscream assured him, amused at the sudden brightening of those optics and the accompanying grin. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes! Can have cube?" Optronix always wanted to fuel himself with a cube, like Starscream did, despite the fact that his motor processes weren't quite up to the task.

"No, you can have the cup." He frowned at the pout. "Stop that."

Optronix vented a sigh, tucking Thing closer as Starscream lifted him and clicking at it in a disappointed tone the entire distance to his playpen. Optronix sat down, hands reaching up as Starscream handed down the cup. The Seeker watched for a bit until satisfied Optronix was fueling, then returned to the computer. Keeping half an audio and several sensors on that corner of the lab, Starscream combed through the data, which said Optronix was a healthy sparkling just past his first quarter-vorn of onlining.

After two months, it _should_ say that he was in his second vorn and indicate increased mass. The plan was to reformat Prime into a sparkling, shunting the excess mass into a specialized subspace pocket that would allow the picotrons to add that mass back to the frame, simulating organic growth, with downloads stimulating the development of his neural architecture. That wasn't happening. Optronix was growing but at a much slower pace, and development was showing signs of lagging.

It was a fascinating theory, one that skipped the upgrading of the frame that was part of Seibertronian maturation. Given enough time, Starscream would have perfected the science and Megatron would have his Decepticon Prime. But nooo, he had to have his results now, not later.

Megatron never did grasp the fact that science moved at its own pace, sometimes matching or outpacing desires and sometimes not.

Paging through the data, examining the lines of code from the picotrons, Starscream nearly jumped when the lab door opened. Cursing silently, Starscream shifted to meet Megatron standing, only partially aware of Optronix's small noises stopping.

"Well, Starscream? When will he be ready?"

Oh, Primus, Megatron was holding himself in the manner Starscream had learned to dread...

"It's too early to tell for certain. The results-" A backhand cut him off and threw him back against his computer desk. Thankfully the trembling of his hand wasn't visible as he raised it to wipe away the fluid trickling from the split in his lower lip component.

"Results!" Megatron snarled. "I need him on the battlefield!"

Starscream couldn't help himself, he never could. "You'll have to wait! The science is too new, I need more time!"

Megatron crowded him against the desk, hand tight against his chin. "You have 12 orns to show me results – _good _results." The shove against his chassis nearly cracked his cockpit. "Don't fail me again."

Megatron kicked at the pen as he left.

Optronix was vocalizing static by the time Starscream reached the playpen, curled into the farthest corner with his optics tightly shuttered and Thing crushed to his chassis.

"Optronix. Shh." He picked up the trembling sparkling, humming a subsonic harmony at the flinch. "He's gone. It's safe."

Optronix curled into his cockpit and Starscream could feel a small hand grip tight.

"Ba-ad Me-egton," Optronix whispered, voice staticky and broken with fear.

Cupping a hand around the small helm, Starscream murmured, "Very bad."

Resuming the humming, Starscream walked the lab until the stuttering of Optronix's cooling system ceased.

"Do you have a good hold on Thing?" he spoke softly, lip components almost touching a small antenna.

"Uh-huh." Optronix pulled Thing closer and released his grip on Starscream. "I ready."

"Good."

The flip onto his back was easy, even with Optronix upset. The connectors clicked quietly into place and Starscream felt Optronix' simple systems become his peripherals. He felt the sparkling's lingering distress and sent reassurance through their connection, along with commands to stabilize his systems. A flashing alert told him Optronix hadn't sufficiently refueled and a glance at the pen showed the cover off the cup and a pool of energon, most likely spilled when Megatron kicked the pen. Initiating fueling routines, he felt Optronix shift and then settle as the tubing connected before falling into a light recharge.

Deciding the playpen would keep, dried energon was easier to deal with anyway, Starscream resumed his subsonic humming and went back to his work.

He had joined the Decepticons to return Seibertron to its former glory, to rid it of the wealthy and powerful squandering it's resources for their own pleasure, to topple the decadent government and corrupt officials. Megatron had been inspiring at the beginning of the war, a shining beacon calling many to the Decepticons' side.

Now he was nothing more than a tyrant, power-hungry, wanting to dominate all. To destroy. Seibertron had been lost to Megatron's ambition.

Starscream wasn't sure why he'd stayed, habit possibly. Or his own stubborn nature, insisting that Seibertron still could be saved if Megatron was deposed. His pride insisted he was the best choice for leadership.

It might be time to concede defeat, to accept that the Decepticons were a lost cause.

That he wasn't the one to end Megatron's rule.

Part 3

Starscream onlined staring at a ceiling, albeit a different one than he'd offlined under. One that, coincidentally enough, belonged to the base's small repair bay. The display along the sides of his vision, as well as various dull aches, indicated recent repairs.

"Starscream: Operational." Ah, that explained his change in location.

"If you say so." He tried to sit up but subsided when a large, dark blue hand came down on his cockpit.

"Orders: Berth rest: Two orns."

Starscream pushed at Soundwave's hand. "Slag that. Where's-"

"Optronix: Safe and unharmed." The visorband and mouthguard gave little indication of what Soundwave was thinking but a tilt of his head indicated something on Starscream's other side.

Starscream turned his head, suppressing a hiss of pain at the stretch of cables, to see Frenzy sitting with Optronix on the other repair berth. The sparkling was nestled against the Cassetticon, optics gleaming with excess cleaner, digit in mouth, and Thing held tight. Frenzy had wrapped both arms around the sparkling as best he could and was leaning into the sparkling as much as Optronix was leaning against him.

Ravage was curled around them both, muzzle resting on her paws next to Optronix, her tail curled around Frenzy's far leg. At any other time he would've snickered at the sight, since Optronix was two-thirds Frenzy's size, but he couldn't muster the wherewithal. A glance down the berth revealed Rumble perched on the end, close enough to assist if Optronix fell.

In good hands, then. Starscream closed his optics, running a diagnostic to ensure he was as repaired as he thought and to ascertain if his own systems were finishing that work. He heard a soft bip of static from Optronix at his actions and waved a hand tiredly.

Diagnostics complete; he was as repaired as he was going to get and his systems were taking over. Slag, he'd been down for over an orn. Fragging Megatron.

"Let me up." Soundwave lent a considerate arm and he was soon standing, with a slight sway as his gyros adjusted. Ignoring that, he strode over to the other berth.

"Look like slag, Star," Frenzy commented, moving out of the way to let Starscream sit next to Optronix.

"And yet I'm still prettier than you," he replied, not liking the way Optronix was just staring at him. Frenzy snorted, settling to sit on Ravage, who crackled her tape at him but didn't move. Starscream stroked a hand down Optronix's cheek. "I'm fine."

A gentle tug and Optronix was scrambling into his lap, static crackled in his vocalizations.

"Sta-arsceEEam hu-urt!" he wailed.

Starscream let him curl close, curving a hand around the small helm. "I was, now I'm not."

Optronix cycled his vents, gripping Thing and the armor over Starscream's flank, keening softly. Starscream hummed softly, stroking the small back soothingly.

"Starscream: return to quarters." At Soundwave's gesture, Frenzy got off his sibling and Ravage leapt to the floor. The twins followed to stand next to her. "Ravage: Carry."

Starscream hissed as he tried to bend over, the residual pain not letting him hold Optronix. Dark blue hands curved under his, taking Optronix's weight and placing the sparkling on Ravage's back. A strong arm slid under his and boosted him off the berth.

"C'mon, little guy, let's get you home." Frenzy gripped Optronix' shoulder, keeping it there to help him balance. On the other side, Rumble did the same.

"Home?" There was no static in the hopeful tone.

"Yeah, home," Rumble replied. "Hands down, kid."

Optronix complied, dropping Thing to grip Ravage's back. Ravage caught the toy before it hit the ground, holding it in her mouth as she trotted to Starscream's quarters. Beside her, the twins chattered at the sparkling.

Starscream couldn't help it - the sight was too much. He snickered, softly enough that only Soundwave walking next to him heard. He exchanged glances with the blue mech, snickering louder at the flicker in the optic band that indicated visual recording. His own recording devices were offline until repairs were completed, slaggitall. He formed a mental image of getting a copy and thought hard enough Soundwave couldn't help but pick it up. A soft hum was his reply. Well, what the Pit did that mean? Slagging, inscrutable telepath.

A short eternity later and Starscream was tapping his entry code with a shaking hand, cursing when he hit the wrong buttons. A light touch at his shoulder and Soundwave was reaching past him to input the code. Starscream thought loudly of his opinion of that.

"Positions: Impossible."

"That's what you think." Starscream stepped aside to let the Casseticons precede him. He made himself comfortable on his berth. "Give him to me."

Soundwave settled Optronix on his lap and leaned over to adjust the upper portion of the berth to an angle that supported his upper body. Ravage jumped up to nudge Optronix with her head before dropping Thing next to him.

"Thank you, Avage." Optronix gathered Thing up and cuddled close to Starscream.

Starscream watched the Casseticons leave, chattering and shoving at each other. Soundwave also watched, affection softening his stance, before nodding at Starscream. He paused at the threshold, hand at the control. Not looking back, he murmured. "Optronix and Starscream: Unsafe. Leaving: Imperative." The door swished closed softly behind him.

Optronix shifted on his chassis, clicking softly. Starscream stroked his back as he pondered Soundwave's words.

It had been over a stellar-cycle since Optronix had been created, and well past time he should have showed significant development. Starscream had fudged his results, convincing Megatron that the plan was working, albeit at a somewhat slower rate than intended. That task had resulted in a trip to the repair bay but Megatron had believed the results given him.

For a time.

Megatron was becoming increasingly more abusive and he was starting to turn that aggression on Optronix. Starscream had so far managed to deflect Megatron's more violent outbursts but that was becoming ever more difficult.

Soon, Starscream would slip up and Megatron would get his hands on Optronix, and that was unacceptable.

"'Leaving: Imperative,'" Starscream repeated. "Indeed."

Part 4

Skywarp was still cursing when they took off from base. Starscream ignored him, reveling in the feel of wind over his nosecone. He hadn't been able to get outside since they'd captured Optimus Prime 1.41 stellar cycles ago and he'd been ready to glitch out. A soft sound refocused his attention to his cockpit. Optronix was strapped into pilot's seat, Thing forgotten in his arms as he gazed out the canopy in wonder; Optronix had never been outside the base and was completely fascinated. Starscream dove through a cloud just to hear him shriek in delight.

"Again!"

Starscream obliged with a barrel roll and Optronix shrieked again, clapping his hands.

Soundwave had been 'out on a mission' and had been 'unavailable' for sparkling-sitting at the time of Starscream's requested break and no one else had wanted to. Optronix was small enough to fit in his seats so Starscream had requested permission to take him along. Megatron allowed it, on the condition that he would have an escort. His wingmates had apparently lost the toss.

Starscream didn't care; he was just happy Megatron had let him fly.

"How much longer, Screamer?" Skywarp was in a fine mood, not that Starscream cared and he banked northeast in response. "Slag!"

Thundercracker was silent, following behind his wingmate.

Denali National Park was beautiful, green in the short summer, and Starscream dipped into the canyons for the challenge. Optronix chirred in fascination, optics wide as he watched the canyon walls fly past.

And beeped in surprise when the Aerialbots zoomed past, their wakes rocking Starscream's altmode as they flew past him to engage Skywarp and Thundercracker. Skyfire's bulk rose next to him, pacing him as he turned towards the Autobot base.

He ignored the commcalls from his former compatriots as they called for assistance, for explanations. They cursed him as a traitor when he neither answered nor attacked the Autobots and they discovered they could not call the base for reinforcements or an orbital jump. All due to a small device a certain communications officer taught him to make when the war started; he'd planted the jammers on his fellow seekers right before takeoff. A small databurst and they'd activated flawlessly, blocking any broadcast from traveling more than a half-mile as well as keeping Skywarp from teleporting.

It would be some time before Megatron learned of his defection.

The Aerialbots joined him and Skyfire, taking up an escort formation to ensure he couldn't change his mind. He'd contacted Skyfire using other tricks that Soundwave had taught him, taking advantage of equipment leftover from their past as explorers.

No, he would not change his mind, not now; he had made his decision and would live with the consequences as always.

Including the consequences of informing the Autobots their beloved Optimus Prime had not been deactivated as they thought but instead had been subjected to an experimental regression device.

"Stasceam?" Optronix sounded worried and a little frightened. "Where we go?"

"We are..." Starscream thought for a nano-klik; he hadn't given Optronix's reaction much consideration. Thoughtless of him. "We are going to the Autobots."

"Why?"

"Because Megatron can't get to you there."

"Oh." Optronix held Thing close as he nervously watched the Aerialbots. "Megton not get you there, too?"

Starscream hesitated for only a klik, then said, "I'll be safe there, too."

From the Decepticons, anyway; he was already getting slag from the Autobots. It was just as easy to ignore Aerialbots as it was Seekers.

"Starscream," Skyfire's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you-"

"I'm fine," he interrupted. He was always fine. And as long as Optronix stayed safe, he would stay perfectly fine.

ooOO0OOoo

The Aerialbots had potential; they stayed in formation the entire flight and only fell a little out when they transformed to land with him. Give them to him for a few deca-cycles, Starscream thought, and the Aerialbots would be a wing any Air Commander would be proud to command.

After landing, they were escorted to the repair bay. Optronix clung to his back, his fear only kept at bay by Starscream's reassurances; whose own fear was kept at bay by the knowledge that the Autobots wouldn't do anything to him with a sparkling in attendance. The new Prime, Rodimus, led the way with Prowl, Ironhide, Skyfire, Jazz and several other Autobots escorting them down cleared corridors. That the escort was to the repair bay had been expected; he wasn't entirely certain his systems were clean himself.

He'd been allowed to stay close to Optronix for his examination. The sparkling had been understandably upset as he'd had his scheduled full exam the day before and didn't understand why he had to have _another_ one. The Autobots' reaction to his presence frightened Optronix, as did Ironhide's poorly concealed hostility.

"That's Optimus?" someone whispered.

"His designation," Starscream stiffly informed the room, "is Optronix."

Starscream handed over the data he'd compiled on what the regression device had done and the aftermath for comparison, including his protests against using the device. He had several more disks with other information of value and handed them over to Rodimus Prime as well; no sense in waiting. Acquiescence at this point might help his case and convince the Autobots he was serious about his defection.

Ratchet made a few pointed remarks, threw several tools with impressive accuracy and the peanut gallery fled. Or some of them did; Ironhide set himself next to the door and glowered at him the entire time. Skyfire loomed quietly in a nearby corner, keeping silent watch. Prime, Jazz and Prowl settled next to a nearby repair berth.

Starscream managed to keep the sarcasm to a minimum, even when his armaments were removed and his transformation cog disabled.

Not unexpected but galling nonetheless. He hated being defenseless.

Optronix was treated with gentleness, especially after Ratchet discovered that he remembered nothing of his adult life. Optronix, for his part, was wary. He watched Ratchet with large, untrusting optics and the babble Starscream had grown used to was absent; Optronix spoke only when asked a direct question.

Which changed when Jazz tried to take him away; Optronix stiffened, then started wailing for Starscream when the saboteur started walking toward the door.

"Optronix!" Starscream moved to intercept, but Ironhide stepped past him, blocking his way. Sneering at the Autobot, he pushed past. Or tried to; Ironhide grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "What am I going to do, you underclocked bot-fragger, fly with him through the ceiling?"

Ironhide glared at him and started to reply but was cut off by the new Prime. "Let him go."

Optronix reached for him as he neared, whimpering static. Starscream placed the forgotten Thing in his arms and curved a hand around his helm.

"I am going to be busy for a while. Jazz is going to take care of you for the near future." The look he gave Jazz informed the Autobot that he better take damned good care of him, or else Starscream was going to bring the UnMaker down on his head.

"Don't wan' to." Optronix muttered, voice small and warbling with his distress. "Want stay with you."

"You can't right now." He stroked the small helm, and Optronix gazed up at him with an anxious expression. "There's nothing to be scared of. It's just like staying with Soundwave."

"Kay." Not happy but not going to fight.

Starscream stepped back. Optronix gazed sadly at him over Jazz's shoulder as they exited the room

Immediately, Starscream felt hands grab him and he struggled on instinct. He was wrestled to the floor, and the last thing he heard was Ratchet's voice yelling at someone to be careful before something was inserted into an access port.

The world lost focus and everything doubled into darkness.

Part 5

"Sounwafv!" Optronix banged his hands on the solid walls of the playpen. "Avage! Fenzy!"

No answer. He dropped to his bottom with a hard cycle of his vents. Stupid Ottobauts! If Starscream couldn't take him, he was supposed to go with Soundwave! Or Frenzy and Ravage if Soundwave was busy.

Pulling Thing closer, he picked up the energon cup and drank, sulking. After Starscream had landed, they had been taken to the repair bay for tests. He'd _just_ had his tests! Nobody had made sure Thing had made it onto the berth with him and he'd been afraid to ask for it, and afterward a mech had taken him to his quarters. Starscream had told him that he was going to be busy and that the mech holding him was going to be his caretaker.

Jazz, that as his designination. And Prowl was his bondmate, whatever _that_ was. They were nice but he wanted Starscream and no one would tell him where he was. Scowling at the wall of his pen, he called for Soundwave in his mind; Soundwave could hear people thinking and had come when Optronix had called him that way before.

But not this time.

Putting the empty cup down, Optronix got to his pedes. If he could get out, he could go looking for Starscream. He knew he wasn't supposed to leave quarters but he wasn't with the people he was supposed to be with! He wanted the people he knew, not these strangers.

Stretching as tall as he could, Optronix reached for the top of the wall; his fingertip barely touched the tip. He tried to make himself taller and lost his balance, falling on his bottom. "Uff!"

Levering himself upright, Optronix rubbed his bottom. Lip trembling, he considered the wall again. If he couldn't make himself taller, he had to stand on something, which was not allowed either. Starscream was going to be mad at him when he found out but this was important!

He needed something hard to stand on and he looked around to see what was in the playpen with him. Thing was too soft, so was the blanket, and his energon cup would break; he'd stepped on one before, back when he was staying in the Dicepcon base.

That left only the blocks that Jazz had provided for him to play with. He banged two together, pleased when they thunked. Pushing all the blocks to the same side of the playpen, he carefully placed them together, making a surface big enough for both his pedes. He stood on that but it didn't make him tall enough.

He had to add more blocks and just as he was pulling himself up, he remembered Thing; Thing had to come with! He dropped back down, scattering the blocks. Huffing in annoyance, he arranged the blocks again. Leaning against the wall, he threw Thing over the top before pulling himself up.

It was hard and made his arm servos whine softly, but he got a leg over the top and used that to help pull himself up. He beeped in surprise as he fell off the other side and landed mostly on Thing.

"Oof! Ow!" It hurt a little, but the ow went away fast. "Thing okay?" He inspected Thing, but Thing was okay.

Picking himself up, Optronix looked around, not seeing his keepers or the door. Walking around the playpen, he chirped in delight. There it was! Running to the door, oomfing as he bumped into the wall, Optronix stared up at the button that opened it. It was way over his helm and he couldn't reach it no matter how tall he stretched.

Cycling his vents his frustration, Optronix looked around - he needed something to stand on. The blocks were in the playpen and it had taken all of them to reach the top of the wall, and the door controls were up much higher anyway. There was a chair by the desk. He had to put Thing on top so he could use both hands to push, and it rolled easily to the door. Until it stopped.

"What are you doing?"

Optronix jerked around to see Prowl with a hand on the back of the chair to stop it from rolling.

"Ah, um..." He couldn't form words. Prowl raised an optic ridge and tilted his helm.

"Where were you going?"

"Find Stasceam," he managed. "S'posed to be with Stasceam or Sounwafv."

"Optimus- "

"Optoniks!" All the Ottobauts called him Optimus, his designination was Optronix!

"- you can't be with Starscream. He's in the repair bay."

Optronix's systems stuttered. "Nooo!" he wailed. "No paebay!" He hit Prowl's shinplates. "You pomised! No hu't Stasceam!"

Hands caught his. "Cease that."

"No! Let Stasceam out!" He struggled when Prowl picked him up, kicking.

Other hands pulled him away. "Shh, little guy." Jazz. "We're not hurting Starscream."

"Lie!" Optronix tried to twist free. "In paebay!"

Prowl caught his chin, making him look at his face. "We are not hurting Starscream."

Optronix stopped struggling, searching Prowl's optics for any sign of a lie. He didn't look like the others did, the ones that liked Megtron, when they lied.

"Powl no lie? No hu't?"

"No hurt," Jazz replied from behind his helm. "He's fine."

"Can see?" he asked hopefully. Prowl's optics looked behind him and he twisted to look at Jazz. "Can see Stasceam? Jasz take?"

"Yeah. You can." Jazz shook his head, but not at Optronix. He turned Optronix around to carry him on his hip and leaned down to grab Thing. Optronix took Thing, hugging him hard and wriggling at the thought of seeing Starscream.

Starscream would tell the Ottobauts that he was supposed to be with him and everything would be okay again.

ooOO0OOoo

It was strange, being carried on Jazz's hip instead of his back. Apparently, not all Sibetonon's had the equipment for that so he had to be carried this way but it made it was easier to see everything. The Ottobauts they passed gave him strange looks, some stopping to stare until Jazz made them move away. At the doors to the repair bay, Jazz stopped. He put a hand on Optronix's chin, turned his face to look him in the optics, and solemnly told him that Starscream was offline.

"It's gonna look like we're hurting him but we're not. Okay? Ratchet took him offline so he could check his systems."

Optronix thought for a moment. "To see if Megton did bad things to Stasceam?"

"Yeah. Was Megatron bad to Starscream a lot?"

"Uh-huh. Made him go to paebay lots."

"Well, he's not hurt. It might look bad but it's not."

Optronix looked closely but Jazz wasn't lying. "Kay."

The repair bay was empty and larger than the one he was used to. Jazz took him to the back of the bay, to a door near a large window; a look inside showed him an office. Jazz knocked on the door, opening it as he called a hello. Ratchet was inside, next to a see-are chamber; Starscream was floating inside, optics dark and cables attached all over him.

"Prowl comm'd me," Ratchet snapped. "You should have cleared it with me first."

"Yeah, sorry." Jazz grinned at Ratchet. "Little guy thought we were hurting Starscream, so I brought him over to see for himself."

Ratchet scowled and Optronix pressed closer to Jazz, hoping he wasn't too mad. Hook didn't like being interrupted and had tried to hurt him the one time he had; he'd been too afraid to try again.

"You should have checked first." Ratchet turned to poke at one of the monitors. Optronix sighed, glad he wasn't mad.

Jazz stepped closer and he got a good look at Starscream; his optics widened when he noticed all the cables all over Starscream's frame. They disappeared into different parts of him, including the one that was the same color as energon. Ratchet was still poking at the monitor in front of him, not looking up.

"So far, he's fine. Signs of recent repairs; many of them. The CR chamber is taking care of most of it and I'm going to keep him offline until the repairs are finished. His power levels were low as well and his energon was mildly contaminated."

"What?" Jazz yelled, sounding surprised. Optronix wondered why; Dicepcons were always doing things to their energon.

"That why Stasceam feed me only, not s'posed to take en'gon from an'body else." He looked at Ratchet. "Stasceam say Ottobauts safe, not hu't us."

Ratchet's optics flickered but Optronix didn't feel a scan. "We won't. Starscream must have been very careful to keep you safe."

"Hard to imagine that." Jazz snorted.

Optronix frowned at him. That was a mean thing to say. He leaned forward to place his hands on the chamber wall. It felt very cold and buzzy against his palms. Jazz shifted a little, supporting his bottom better and keeping him from falling. He pressed his faceplates against the wall to get a better look at Starscream.

"He needs to stay in there for a while longer," Ratchet told him gently. "Three more days at least, then you can talk to him."

"Stasceam still hu't," he said mournfully, patting the chamber wall. "Achet fix."

Part 6

Starscream onlined feeling better than he had in... longer than he wanted to remember. He reveled in that feeling as his systems booted and no alerts came up. His power systems showed full and there was no ache or itch from his energon or cydraulic lines. He could feel clean energon streaming throughout his frame, sweet and light. The diagnostic informed him his transformation cog was still disabled and all his weapons were removed. Additionally, his comm systems had been altered and he would bet the finest high-grade those reprobate twins had that he couldn't reach outside the Autobot base.

All expected.

What wasn't expected was the state of his firewalls; they had been broken down and then partially rebuilt using the rudimentary walls of the kind given to sparklings as foundations to build on. His viral defenses had been updated as well and his data banks felt as if they had been rifled through, and likely had, then defragged.

The sentimental, _soft_ fools had left him in better shape than he had arrived in.

His internal chronometer informed him he'd been offline for five orns roughly the same time soft sounds alerted him that he had company; Optronix from the high vocalizer and another. Ratchet was the most likely suspect.

He unshuttered his optics to that stupid orange color Autobots favored. The sounds came from his left and he turned his helm to see Optronix on a repair berth, safe behind the barred sides, playing with Thing. Jazz was perched on a stool, playing with him.

Optronix turned his helm and saw him online. He beeped in delight and got to his pedes, hands gripping the rails. "Stasceam wake!"

Jazz turned around and grinned. "Lazarus rises!"

ooOO0OOoo

After Ratchet performed an examination and declared him repairing, Jazz escorted them both to their new home. To his surprise, it was private quarters; he'd expected the brig. Jazz informed Starscream that he had the next orn to settle in, then Rodimus Prime wanted to speak with him. Wishing them a good day, Jazz left; the sounds as the door closed indicated it had locked; there was no interior doorpad.

Not that there was anywhere for him to go should he get out; they were deep inside the Autobot base and would have to go past the rec room to escape. He wouldn't get more than a few corridors before being spotted; that would undoubtedly land him in the brig and Optronix in someone else's care. To be quite frank, he had been stunned that Optronix had been returned to him. He had been certain that Optronix would be given to an Autobot; Optimus Prime had had a close relationship with Ironhide and he had expected Optronix to go to him and his bondmate.

Ignoring the secured door, Starscream set about inspecting the quarters. The first room, with a ceiling high enough to accommodate Skyfire with little problem, had been furnished with a desk with chair and computer as well as a couch and lounging chair, situated across from a vidscreen and a private fueling station. An archway at the back of the larger room led to a smaller one, which held a berth sized for him and another, smaller one close to the floor suitable for Optronix; it was padded with a thick, soft mattress and lined with heat dispersing blankets and pillows.

Fully mature Seibertronians used a bare berth while they recharged and their systems performed maintenance; sparklings needed assistance in keeping cool as those routines ran. There was also a small computer attached to the berth that would assist Optronix in ordering his memory and data banks, as well as ensure his maintenance systems were working properly. Optronix would only need that assistance for his nightly recharges, but only until he had passed his first vorn when his cranial architecture and software would no longer need monitoring.

The diagnosis of the recharge computer took little time and reassured him greatly. The computer was clean of any contaminants and was the height of technology, as well as expertly programmed. It was a relief not to have to monitor Optronix himself; his own components were intended as backup for the berth only and, despite his best efforts, Optronix had developed a few small problems. Nothing life-threatening and Ratchet had easily taken care of all of it while he had been offline.

The small washrack tucked into the corner of the smaller room was a pleasant surprise; he had always hated using the communal washracks. He was certain that strange shape along one wall would turn out to a fold-down basin for bathing Optronix.

At his pedes, Optronix peered at everything, chirring in interest. He had one arm wrapped around Starscream's lower leg and had Thing tucked under the other. "This ous?"

"It would seem so."

A few moments work informed him the desk computer had no access to the mainframe and he couldn't access the wireless since his data interfaces were disabled, including the cables in his forearms. Jazz had informed him that the base's comms had been altered so that he could communicate only with persons physically present on the base, and with his own comm all but disabled, he'd need the base to radio anyone he wasn't practically standing next to.

And if he used the base to call someone, the entire base would hear. Sensible precautions all.

Absently registering that Optronix felt safe enough to leave him and investigate on his own, Starscream picked up a datapad. It was loaded with reading material; Skyfire's doing, he thought as he noted several favorite titles. Another pad was of sturdier construction and had large buttons and input area, the material it held was suitable for a sparkling of Optronix development. More book chips were stored in two containers on the desk, the larger chips indicating which one's were for Optronix. Beside the computer was a pad filled with lined paper and laminated displays imprinted with the English alphabet and the Seibertronian. All in simple shapes, suitable for creating with a sparkling's uncoordinated digits. The writing implements, also designed for sparklings, were tucked into a small container near the pads.

He had despaired of Optronix learning handwriting, since the supplies for such hadn't been available at the Decepticon base. Handwriting was becoming a lost art, discarded in favor of electronic input. His own was not the finest calligraphy but was considerably better than the majority of the Decepticons. Primus, he wasn't entirely certain some of the Decepticon were _literate_.

A soft squeak of hinges drew his attention to the corner of the room; Optronix had found a large box and had lifted the lid to investigate. He chirped in surprise and Starscream moved next to him to do see what had prompted that sound. He lifted the lid further to look inside, and felt like chirping in surprise himself. The box held toys, and what he assumed were toys simply by the company they kept. A smaller box held blocks, their sides shimmering with color in the shapes of Seibertronian glyphs and the English alphabet as well as animals native to Seibertron and Earth. Another box held colored pieces of wood in different shapes; cylinders of various lengths, squares and rectangles in different sizes, triangles, also in different sizes. Some of the rectangles had half-circles cut out from one long side.

"What are these?"

Optronix picked up the box, servos revving softly at the effort. "Fo' build!"

Starscream picked up a few of the pieces, holding them in the palm of his hand as he scanned them; they were exactly as they appeared; pieces of hardwood, colored with botanical dyes. "Building what, exactly?"

"Build things!" Placing the box on the floor, Optronix demonstrated, constructing a crenelated wall with a door opening. Arching an optic ridge, Starscream left him to his building, turning to investigate what else was in the box.

Which included several small versions of human vehicles and aircraft; he was amused to see an F-15 with his paint scheme as well as a cab-over-engine tractor-trailer in Optimus Prime's colors. None of the vehicles had Autobot or Decepticon symbols, he noted, and none of the vehicles or aircraft was operational, instead merely mimicked the form. The vehicles all had wheels that would allow it to be pushed along a flat surface. Also inside were small, articulated mechforms, vaguely resembling certain Autobots and Decepticons; he sneered at the one that reminded him of Megatron and tossed it into a waste receptacle by the wall before Optronix could notice it.

Tucked along one side of the box was a large pad of paper, blank, as well as a pack of colored sticks. For drawing, he assumed. The containers of cleaner-soluble paint were more of a puzzle, as they were not accompanied by brushes. A few tests reassured Starscream the paints were harmless and would not contaminate Optronix' fuel systems if he ingested them. The sensors on the glossa developed first and most sparklings would use it to explore whatever piqued their curiosity and sometimes the smaller objects would slide down their intakes.

The sound of Optronix' systems fluctuating drew his attention to the sparkling, who was gazing at the blue triangle in his hand, optics flickering slowly, and starting to list to his left.

"Come," he murmured. "Time to recharge."

Optronix mumbled, slumping into Starscream's hands as he was picked up. He was most of the way into recharge by the time Starscream placed him in his berth and attached the connectors to the recharge computer; they would pull free easily when Optronix onlined. Arranging the blankets and pillows for comfort, Starscream made sure Thing was within reach and tugged a cooling blanket higher up before he left.

The wooden shapes were easily removed to their container and put away inside the larger box. Retrieving an energon cube from the fueling station, Starscream settled into the desk chair. Sipping the energon, running a purity test out of habit, Starscream paged through the computer to see what files it contained and what its abilities were. Hopefully not too limited and hopefully not for long; he had projects he wanted to reconstruct, experiments to run. If he could not fly - doubtful the Autobots would let him until he had proved himself - he wanted to be in a lab.

Preferably working on why Optronix's picotrons weren't performing as intended. The Autobots had some decent scientists but he had created the regression process. Optronix was _his_ concern.


	2. Aftermath

Title: Aftermath  
Characters: Rodimus Prime, Ironhide, Prowl, Jazz, Skyfire, Ratchet  
Rating: PG  
Summary: The Autobots decide what, exactly, to do with Starscream.  
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!  
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes.  
Author Notes: This is set between chapters 5 and 6 of Kite Strings and Sealing Compound. Story has been tweaked a little.

* * *

"Optronix-"

"Optimus!" Ironhide snarled.

Jazz turned his chair in preparation; whether to tackle Ironhide or jump clear he wasn't entirely sure. The other mech had been furious since Starscream had arrived and they'd discovered their former Prime's fate. Optimus had been a close friend and Ironhide wasn't taking the loss well, to say the least. Jazz regretted taking a seat next to him at the conference table.

"-the sparkling," Ratchet, smart mech that he was, completely avoided the issue, "presents as being roughly a half-vorn in age, and in excellent health. He only needed some slight defragging of his databanks and memory along with minor adjustments to his repair systems."

Before Ironhide could open his mouth, Ratchet cut him off. "All problems trace back to the fact that Starscream didn't have a recharge computer or seemed to have the medical knowledge to correct the problems. He's been upgraded with backing equipment and appears to have relied on that."

"Backing?" Prowl questioned before Jazz could. From the interested looks on Rodimus and Red Alert's faces they didn't know either.

Surprisingly, Skyfire was the one who answered.

"It's a way of taking care of a sparkling," he said. "Specialized equipment is installed in the back of the parent, which allows for hard connections between adult and sparkling. A mech can refuel the sparkling from his own lines as well as update viral defenses, perform maintenance and upload programs."

"Wait," Jazz said. "Starscream had all that installed for the kid?"

"Highly suspicious," Red Alert added. "That means they planned-"

"No," Skyfire interrupted, voice soft and sad. "It's an old-fashioned method, predating the recharge computer. He had the backing installed to use for his own sparkling, before the war."

"That's a load of Pitslag!" Ironhide raged, standing so fast his chair skidded backwards.

Skyfire also stood, towering over Ironhide. "You doubt me?" His tone was icy with offense.

"Whoa!" Rodimus rose, hands raised to form a T. "Time out, you two." They subsided, glaring at each other as they reseated themselves. "Thank you."

Rodimus switched his gaze to Ratchet for confirmation. "Ratchet?"

Ratchet eyed the two mechs before answering, "Skyfire's right; Starscream had the backing equipment long before any of this happened. The way it's incorporated to his internal components is indicative of long-term integration. It's been in place for hundreds of vorns."

Rodimus frowned thoughtfully. To Skyfire, he asked, "What happened to the sparkling?"

"She died." Skyfire looked even sadder. "Along with his bondmate. Our survey mission was the first thing he'd shown an interest in since their deaths, and well..."

"Ah, slag." Rodimus sank back into his chair, optics closing.

Jazz winced, pieces putting themselves together in his head; he remembered the reports of a Seeker returning without his partner and the scientific community up in arms about it, claiming he had murdered that partner.

"There were reports," Red Alert began.

"That were untrue," Skyfire stated vehemently. "I've read them and _nothing_ like that happened. Starscream loved his family and he earned his reputation as a scientist."

Ironhide made a rude noise, opening his mouth to say something. A gesture from Rodimus made him shut it.

"Back to Optronix," Rodimus said, in an attempt to move the meeting along. "He doesn't remember being Optimus?"

"No," Ratchet sighed. "He has no conscious memory of being Optimus. But what he was subjected to was highly experimental and Starscream's notes indicated that memories have surfaced on occasion, in the form of nightmares."

"He's scared of Swoop," Jazz murmured absentmindedly. He focused himself when everyone looked at him. "He's scared of Swoop," Jazz repeated.

"He's scared of First Aid, too," Ratchet told him.

"No, he's _wary _of First Aid," Jazz said. "He's _scared_of Swoop, and Swoop's not had much interaction with him."

"Swoop's a big mech, could be menacing to a kid that size and age," Rodimus put in.

"Uh-uh, boss. I think he remembers something, even if he can't put it in words," Jazz told him. "I asked but he couldn't tell me why."

"Okay." Rodimus rubbed at his face. "Okay. Have to keep an eye on that."

"Slagging right," Ironhide growled. Jazz saw Rodimus slide him a look out the corner of his optics; Primus, he hoped Ironhide wasn't hoping the kid remembered being Optimus.

"Ironhide." Ratchet leaned towards him, arms braced against the table. "It'd be Optimus' memory files in a sparkling's frame and cortex; he'd never be able to handle them."

Ironhide glared at Ratchet for a few minutes then turned his head away, engine growling softly. Rodimus watched him carefully before turning to Ratchet.

"What kind of condition is Starscream in?"

Ratchet vented a sigh, picking up a datapad. He looked at it briefly before sliding it across the table to Rodimus.

"Not so good. He shows signs of frequent repairs, most not fully completed and sometimes poorly performed," he said grimly. "His fuel lines and cydraulics are contaminated; there's also some conflict between his firewalls and antivirals. His maintenance and repair systems are overworked trying to deal with everything, but I discovered nothing hazardous when I went through his cortex and databanks."

Rodimus picked up the datapad, paging through Ratchet's findings. "What was his operational capacity?"

"About 76 percent," Ratchet replied. "It's been at or near that level for vorns."

An electronic squawk cut the stunned silence and Jazz was embarrassed to realize he had made the noise. "We've been fighting an _impaired_ Screamer?"

Ratchet couldn't quite quell the smirk lurking at the corners of his mouth. "Yes. You were thrown through a brick wall by a physically impaired mech two years ago."

Jazz slumped in his chair with a moan; Starscream had not only tossed him through that wall, he'd landed a good forty yards past it. One minute he was jumping a supposedly unaware Starscream and the next he was laying on his back, blinking at the sky and wondering why he hurt so much. Damn, if that was Starscream impaired, full capacity would put him almost at Optimus's fighting level.

"That why you have him offline in a CR chamber?"

"It is," Ratchet confirmed. "I would like to keep him offline until his fuel system and cydraulic lines are fully clean and the faulty repairs are rectified."

"You wanna *fix* him?" Ironhide was incredulous, palms slapping down onto the table.

"Sir, I protest!" Red Alerts voice rose. "A fully functional Decepticon on the base is a monumental security hazard!"

Rodimus placed a hand on Ironhide's shoulder and Jazz could see he was pushing down. "How long would that take?"

"Another three orns, then I'm certain his own systems can handle the rest." Ratchet glared at Ironhide and Red Alert. "He has the right to be _healthy_."

"It would reassure him that we are taking his defection seriously," Prowl mused aloud, "and possibly ensure his full cooperation."

"Starscream, cooperate?" Jazz snickered. "Where've _you _been, Prowler?"

"Down, boy," Rodimus murmured, amusement underlying his voice. A smile twitched the corners of his mouth when Jazz stuck his glossa out at a glowering Prowl. Ignoring him, Rodimus turned to Ratchet. "All right, lemme know when he's online."

Ratchet nodded. "Yes, Prime."

"How's the kid doing?" Rodimus flicked his optics from Jazz to Prowl. "Any problems?"

Prowl glanced at Jazz. "Not since we reassured him Starscream wasn't being harmed. Jazz-" He indicated his bondmate "-has been taking him to the repair bay before night recharge."

At Rodimus' look, Ratchet just snorted in irritation.

"He wanted to say goodnight," Jazz said with an innocent smile.

"The sparkling shows no sign of Decepticon indoctrination," Prowl continued. "He has no opinion on humans or any other biological creatures; in fact I'm fairly certain he's never been outside of the Decepticon base. And he's extremely fond of Starscream." Prowl kept the surprise out of his voice but Jazz could feel it through their bond.

Ratchet chimed in. "His education is somewhat behind what it should be, but he's intelligent and should catch up quickly."

"Good." Rodimus looked pleased. "I want him in Blaster's daycare as soon as he's ready. And," Rodimus braced himself, "I want him with Starscream when he's back online."

Rodimus let them voice their objections, and their rage, before raising his hand for silence. "Hear me out. Starscream created the device that turned an adult Seibertronian into a sparkling. He'd be the best one for spotting something going wrong." Rodimus turned to Ratchet, "You said that neither you nor Wheeljack fully understand how it should work."

"I did." Ratchet didn't look happy at the admission. "But Starscream?"

"He seems attached to the sparkling and the threat of removing him might provide some leverage," Prowl said.

"No slagging way!" Ironhide protested. "He stays with you or comes with me!"

"Sit down, Ironhide," Rodimus ordered. "Or I'll have you removed."

"You wouldn't." Ironhide crossed his arms, chin raised.

"I most certainly would."

"Optimus wouldn't-"

"I'm not Optimus," Rodimus coldly informed him. "And I'm never going to be Optimus. Primus knows why the Matrix chose me but it did; deal with it."

Rodimus flicked his optics over all of them. "And I say Optronix stays with Starscream, who is the only _familiar person_ here. Starscream has been acting as his parent for as long as Optronix can remember; separating the two of them now would only be traumatizing."

"The Decepticons have deactivated sparklings before," Red Alert pointed out. "Who's to say Starscream won't?

"I do." Skyfire told him. "Starscream had every opportunity to harm Optronix while they were at Decepticon headquarters. He brought Optronix here, to keep him safe from Megatron."

"Concern for others isn't something Starscream's known for, Sky," Jazz said quietly. "If he was that ready to leave, why didn't he do it earlier? Those disks he brought were a couple years in the making."

Skyfire's mouth twisted, somewhere between a smile and a frown. "Star is stubborn - he makes a decision and sticks with it, even if it puts him through the Pit. If he made those disks, he was starting to think about leaving; Optronix must have been the push he needed."

"Prime, if he is keeping the sparkling, then we'll have to upgrade the brig." Red Alert frowned at his datapad. "That could prove difficult."

"They're not going to the brig." Rodimus raised his optic ridges. "I want a suite converted for them; surveillance, door locks, limited comms. The works. I want to bring Starscream over to our side and I don't see that happening in the brig."

"Sir!" Red Alert protested. "Starscream has been a loyal Decepticon since the war started; we have no real idea why he left! It may be a trap-"

"Starscream's sincere," Skyfire told him. "No ruse, at least on his part."

Red Alert didn't look convinced but reluctantly complied. "There are three sets of quarters which might be suitable; I'll have a report ready in five joors."

"No rush," Rodimus said. "It can wait until tomorrow."

"Acknowledged, sir."

Rodimus looked around the room. "Anything else? No?" Rodimus stood. "Dismissed, then."

Ironhide stormed out, clearly displeased and probably going to the range to work off that anger. Red Alert followed, optics flickering in a combination of his usual paranoia and working-on-a-problem; Jazz was positive that Red would have a room picked out by the time he reached his office. Skyfire took off in the direction of the exit, probably to work off his own unhappy in the air. Rodimus slipped through the connecting door to his office, Ratchet's datapad in hand. Jazz knew Ratchet would send him and Prowl their own copies.

He waited for Prowl to catch up and followed Ratchet to the repair bay; Optronix was there, offline while First Aid and Wheeljack ran more in-depth scans.

"Gonna get interesting, Prowler," he murmured.

"Indeed," Prowl murmured back. "Ironhide bears watching; he may do something... unwise."

"No slag." Like attempt to deactivate the highest-ranking Decepticon to ever defect; interrogation was useful but the information the harsher methods retrieved was frequently corrupted and useless. Forced data retrieval was tricky business and the fight to protect one's Self often damaged the data targeted. The disks Starscream had brought were clean and contained information on all sorts of Decepticon activities. The disks alone would be enough to grant Starscream asylum but apparently Prime was hoping for more.

Jazz would support his Prime but he couldn't but help but feel Rodimus was spitting in the wind.

Starscream, an Autobot?


	3. Deception

Title: Deception  
Author: Lurkerlynne  
Characters: Rodimus Prime  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Rodimus has his reasons.  
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!  
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes.

* * *

Tossing the datapad onto the desk, Rodimus collapsed into his chair. Rubbing his hands over his face, he contemplated just taking off for the Uncharted Territories; deep space would be more welcoming than the base was going to be in the next few orns. Ironhide wasn't going to be the only one slagged off when word got out about the situation with Starscream and Primus knew what the rumor mill was going to be like. Jazz had his work cut out keeping _that_ under control.

Starscream was the highest-ranking Decepticon to _ever_ defect; there had been warriors over the course of the war, and even a minor officer here and there. Having the Decepticon Air Commander and Megatron's 2IC willingly spilling secrets was something he couldn't afford to pass up. Placing him in private quarters instead of the brig was an easy decision, angled to influence Starscream's cooperation.

Leaving Optronix in his care- _that_ was going to cause even more slag. He'd listed to the reasons it was a good idea: Starscream had developed the process that made Optronix's existence possible; the Seeker was equipped for caring for Optronix in a way no other Autobot was; Starscream had defected to keep the kid safe; Optronix was dependent on him.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

None of those were the _real_ reason. That, he had no intention of telling anyone. They wouldn't believe him anyway.

ooOO0OOoo

Back when the war was new, when he was still HotRod, he had been part of a team responsible for the evacuation of a group of younglings from a small city being pillaged by Decepticons. Their supplies had run low and all were down on power, some dangerously so. He had been scouting, looking for energon, and for a clear path to the next city over.

The only thing he'd found had been a Decepticon. He'd been investigating the ruin of a small building when he felt the ground tremble from the impact of something heavy landing nearby. HotRod had spun to see a Seeker crouched a few yards away. He'd lunged for his weapon, foolishly placed aside while he moved some debris, but couldn't reach it before a plasma bolt had struck close enough to his hand to make his circuits tingle.

He'd expected the next shot to hit the middle of his spoiler and when it didn't, he'd turned. The Seeker still had his weapon pointed at him, scowling.

"Not the brightest thing you've ever done, Autobot."

HotRod grimaced, optics darting between the Seeker and his rifle. The other mech noticed, and sneered.

"In a hurry to die?"

"In a hurry to get fragged up?" he'd challenged back. The Seeker wasn't too far away now; it was possible that he could do some damage before being deactivated. His right hand crept to where he kept his force-blade.

The Decepticon snorted in derision. "You couldn't frag a glitchmouse. Been giving the energon to the younglings?"

HotRod had felt his spark stall. "What younglings?"

"Oh, _please_. The younglings in the camp three miles back the way you came."

HotRod had heard of Decepticons killing younglings; over his extinguished lasercore would he let this one get near any of them.

"And what are you going to do about it?" he said fiercely.

"Not a slagging thing." The Seeker had informed him. "You, however, are going to lead them to these coordinates."

A small databurst of information had followed, pinging off his firewalls. "And why would I do that?"

"Because, you glitch, there isn't any fighting there!"

A hail interrupted them.

"Starscream," a cold voice demanded, "what is the delay?"

"No delay," Starscream reported openly, not looking away from HotRod. "Merely a sensor ghost from the damaged power grid."

"Then return."

"Acknowledged, mighty Megatron." He signed off.

"Why are you helping us?" HotRod asked, completely bewildered.

Starscream didn't answer. Before HotRod could think to try and stop him, he was transforming midair, disappearing into the sky.

HotRod had gaped after him for a breem before taking off back to the camp. He made up a story about coming across a badly damaged mech who had given him the coordinates before deactivating. His team had bought it, gathering the kids up and marching everybody out. The coordinates led past the fighting, to a bunker only slightly damaged and very empty; it had looked like it had been unoccupied since the war started.

It made the small pile of energon cubes they found there all the more puzzling. His team figured it was a lost supply, forgotten by both sides. HotRod hadn't bothered to mention the footprint he'd found; that of a mech with a heel-turbine. He'd just scuffed it out of existence and settled in for his watch.

ooOO0OOoo

Putting his pedes up on his desk, and staring at the ceiling, Rodimus remembered the relief everyone had felt when the Autobot army had shown up later that night, following a tip about refugees with younglings. The call had been distorted, the caller's voice too mangled to identify and barely comprehensible but it had originated in the vicinity of the bunker.

He had paid attention after that; teams led by Starscream rarely deliberately harmed a sparkling. He suspected that a few of the distress calls that involved younglings originated from the Seeker.

Starscream was the vicious Decepticon Air Commander everywhere else, delighting in the defeat of his enemies, but as far as Rodimus had been able to tell, he had never seriously harmed a sparkling. If Optimus still existed he might have told him, but he didn't, so Rodimus had to keep his own counsel.


	4. Patient Confidentiality

Apologies for the late post; there was a minor disaster, then I had to go to work.

* * *

Patient Confidentiality

Summary: Ratchet left a few things out of his report

Notes: Picks up right after the end of Aftermath. Ratchet is influenced by my mother, a nurse, who shares some personality traits with the good medic. :D

* * *

Activating the datapad, and absently shifting his pedes to a more comfortable position on the desk, Rodimus started reading Ratchet's report.

_Ratchet, Chief Medical Officer, Autobot Base, Sol III, Northern Continent, United States of America, Washington State October 19, 2004, 17.41 Patient: Starscream_

_Patient arrived ambulatory and orientated, sedated with tazeline administered through cydraulic access port located on upper right torso after being restrained. Patient reacted normally and offlined within normal time constraints. Scans did not detect any abnormalities in either software or hardware._

Restrained? Dogpiled was more like it. The scanners at the entrance had said he wasn't carrying anything out of the ordinary for a Seeker but caution was called for.

_Patient given full diagnostic scan, results attached, and was discovered to be operating at 76 percent capacity. Patient was moved to CR chamber for repairs. Scans of patient's cortex were clean but revealed significant damage to patient's processors, a considerable amount of fragging, and malfunction of patient's maintenance routines._

_Patient shows signs of incomplete repairs throughout frame, resulting from battlefield damage as well as deliberately inflicted damage. Much of the deliberate damage was inflicted by a single being, comparable in size and strength to Megatron and was most likely inflicted by him. Patient s vocalizer is undamaged but of inferior make. Fuel lines are contaminated and show signs of corrosio-_

The door chime interrupted his reading. Grateful for the reprieve, Rodimus called, "Enter."

Ratchet slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.

"Ratchet. What's up, doc?"

"Prime," the medic said politely. "There are some medical matters I need to speak with you about."

"Something wrong?" Rodimus asked; Ratchet looked a little grim.

"There's nothing wrong per se," Ratchet said, waving off his concern. "Have you read the report I gave you?"

Rodimus waved the datapad. "Just started. He's a mess but so far it looks like you won't have any problems fixing him."

Ratchet seated himself in one of the chairs. "I won't. Most of the damage is insignificant in and of itself; the collective effect is the dangerous thing. However, the repairs lead to a potential problem."

"Problem?" Rodimus dropped his pedes to the floor and leaned against the desk. "What kind of problem?"

At Ratchet's gesture, Rodimus handed over the datapad. Ratchet scrolled to a specific point before handing the datapad back.

"Starscream has not only been operating at a reduced capacity physically but mentally as well," he said. At Rodimus startled blink, Ratchet continued. "Starscream's neural architecture has been compromised; I'm not certain when the original injury occurred but the cumulative effects of the damage caused by Megatron resulted in diminished processing ability, a fluctuating emotional state and violent episodes."

Startled, Rodimus glanced at the datapad. Sure enough, the first line was what Ratchet had just told him.

The damage to patient's neural architecture and software has affected emotional stability and decision-making. Damage has extended to rest of frame, affecting motor control to a small extent.

A list of damages and their consequences followed.

Staring at the datapad's screen, Rodimus asked. "So he's going to be _smarter_?"

"No," Ratchet solemnly told him. "He's going to be stable. Skyfire's told me about what Starscream used to be like. Arrogant and reckless but he could plan brilliantly and pull off those plans successfully."

"That's..." Rodimus raised his optics to look at Ratchet. "I don't know what to say. Why didn't you say something at the meeting?"

"Because Starscream is my patient and as such deserves at least a little privacy. You're my commanding officer, that is the only reason I broke patient confidentiality."

"So, nobody else knows."

"No," Ratchet looked at him, pleading under the hard gaze. "And I respectfully request you say nothing."

"I'll... take that under consideration." Rodimus raised a hand when Ratchet opened his mouth. "I'm not promising anything but I understand."

Looking somewhat mollified, Ratchet nodded. "All right.

Then a thought occurred to him. Letting his hands fall, Rodimus asked a question he'd been wondering ever since the meeting. "What's backing do?"

Ratchet's mouth twitched, amusement flickering through his optics and energy fields. "Backing is a complex, specific set of systems added to an adult's own frame and internals. It used to be standard well before the war. The dataports and fuel line access panels you find on most mechs now are throw-backs to the backing system, but only medics use them."

"Specifics, doc. What 'n where."

"Specifically, backing consists of hard connectors to carry a sparkling, usually on the back; hence the name," Ratchet said, tapping the datapad to bring up a hologrammatic blueprint of Starscream's back for Rodimus to see. "Starscream's fuel system has been modified to create sparkling- grade energon and fueling conduits were added, as well as connectors to cydraulic and cooling lines for filtering. Specialized processors and dataports can connect a sparkling's systems, frame and processors to his own; the sparkling essentially becomes a peripheral to Starscream. This allows for upgrades to the sparkling's firewalls, anti-virals and knowledge."

"And for his maintenance systems to take care of the sparkling," Rodimus said with dawning comprehension. "Starscream's systems were compromised, so he couldn't take care of Optronix properly."

"Exactly." Ratchet leaned back into his chair. "Starscream must have made Optronix's well-being a priority in his maintenance hierarchy for him to be as healthy as he is. He also had some old education files - some of which were very elegantly written - but I doubt he used most of them; they were out of date, and some were specifically for fliers."

"So why did backing become obsolete? Rodimus asked, puzzled. "Some of that seems like it'd really handy to have."

"Many reasons, really," Ratchet said, settling into lecture mode. He loved to teach. "Not all mechs are designed properly; some frames call for the backing to be placed on the shoulders or flank. The modifications can be tricky; as Prime you would be a challenge, considering your power requirements. Reducing the output of your systems would be a delicate procedure and would require frequent monitoring to ensure it was done right."

"Igh." That was an unpleasant picture. "No backing for me, then. Don't think the Matrix would help anything, either."

"No. But the primary reason backing became obsolete was the invention of the recharge computer; to accomplish the same tasks an adult would have to back their sparkling every time the sparkling recharged for at least the first vorn."

"And that could be awkward. Right." Absently, Rodimus wondered how Starscream had managed to recharge properly while he and Optronix were with the Decepticons.

"Aside from that, all the other tasks can be performed in different ways; manufacturing sparkling-grade energon, medically-applied firewall and anti-viral upgrades, mechs specially trained to teach and so forth."

"And so backing goes the way of the dodo."

"Not entirely," Ratchet all but laughed. "The access and dataports for the system are still being built into sparkling frames; like I said, medics use them. In fact, coolant access here," Ratchet tapped his upper chest near where a human's collarbone would be, "is a remnant from the backing system."

"Really? I... didn't know that."

"Most people don't," Ratchet told him. "It's not common knowledge."

There was a brief silence, both caught up in their thoughts.

"Was there anything else?" Rodimus asked.

"No, that was it." Ratchet rose. "Comm me if you have any more questions."

"I'll do that."

Ratchet paused at the door, hand hovering over the keypad. "You know, I'd have to say that, of the three of you, Springer's the best candidate for backing."

Ratchet's smirk lingered like the Cheshire cat after he'd left. Rodimus blinked, then snickered; Arcee would die laughing at the expression on Springer's face if he ever told him.

A quick timecheck and Rodimus started packing up so he could do just that; he hadn't seen his lovers in _days_. There wasn't anything he was needed for right now, anyway; the Decepticons were quiet, Starscream was offline, Optronix was in good hands and the twins were in the brig for another 19 joors.

Arcee had a free day and Springer just got off-shift; a definite opportunity for personal time.


	5. Talk the Walk

Title: Talk the Walk  
Characters: Starscream, Jazz, Rodimus Prime, Prowl, Blaster and co.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Starscream has his first meeting with Rodimus Prime.  
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!  
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes.  
Author Notes: I've done some editing here 'n there.

* * *

Someone was buzzing the intercom. Optronix looked up from where he was playing, surrounded by those wooden shapes he was so enamored with. Starscream gestured at him to stay and went to answer the door. While he could not open it, the intercom allowed him to speak with whoever was on the other side, and was an unexpected courtesy.

"Yes?" he asked curtly.

Jazz' voice answered him. "Rodimus wants to talk with ya, if you're ready. Can we come in?"

_We?_ Wondering who was with the saboteur, Starscream answered, "You may."

The door unlocked and opened to show Jazz, grinning like an idiot, with Blaster behind him. Starscream stepped back and both mechs entered.

"Hey, little bit! How're things?"

"Jasz!" Optronix brightened. "You he'eh!"

"Yep," Jazz grinned at him. "Needed to talk with Starscream."

"Pick up your things, Optronix," Starscream told him.

"Kay." Optronix started piling the shapes into their box.

Starscream turned to Jazz, lowering his vocalizer's setting a touch and gesturing at Blaster. "Why is he here?"

"We didn't think you'd want Optimu- the sparkling with you at the meeting," Blaster said. "I'm here to take him to the daycare."

"Daycare?" Starscream felt his optic ridges rise in surprise. He fought down his initial apprehension. "What the slag is a _daycare_?"

"It's for sparklings when their parents are working," Blaster informed him. "We also educate."

"Hn." Starscream slid his gaze to Optronix, who was nearly finished. "I want to see this 'daycare', first."

Blaster and Jazz exchanged glances, then Jazz informed him, "Gonna have to clear it with Rodimus before you can go in, but I can let you walk him there with us today."

The top of the toy box squeaked when Optronix closed it. His pedes thudded softly as he ran to stand next to Starscream. "Am eady!"

"Already? That was fast."

Optronix grinned as Starscream lifted him into his arms and followed the two mechs out of the suite. They were immediately joined by Steeljaw, and as they walked Starscream noticed Optronix throwing curious glances at Blaster

"Is like Sounwafv?" Optronix finally asked Starscream.

"Yup," Blaster replied, looking back at him. He gestured at his Cassette. "This is Steeljaw. Rewind and Eject are with the other kids."

A few minutes later, Jazz and Blaster suddenly stopped in front of a door. Guessing correctly that this was the daycare, Starscream swung Optronix to the ground and knelt down to speak with him. "Blaster is going to watch you while I go talk with Prime."

Optronix frowned. "Jasz can't keep?"

"No, Jazz needs to speak with me as well. And Prowl. Blaster is going to watch you."

"Kay. Be back?" Optronix looked worried, pulling Thing against his chestplate.

"Certainly. But this may take a while; you may be in night recharge before I return."

"Oh." Optronix looked disappointed and still worried.

"Don't worry none," Jazz butted in. "We'll call if we're gonna keep him that long." At Optronix's look, he added, "Promise."

"Kay. I go with Blastih."

"Good. I will see you later." A brush of his hand over Optronix's helm and Starscream stood, following Jazz further down the hall. Starscream debated keeping quiet, but ultimately gave in to his curiousity.

"How many?"

Jazz didn't even pretend not to understand. "Seven, in all."

"Seven," Starscream mused. "We suspected only three. You hid them well."

"We did try," Jazz cheerfully replied. "Glad to know it worked. We're here."

They entered to find that Prime's office was already occupied by Prime himself, as well as Prowl. While it was austere, there were a few personal touches; a small picture cube he couldn't get a good look at, a large painting of an Earth forest on the wall across from the desk, and a bobble-headed doll of the new Prime. The office must have initially belonged to Optimus Prime - Rodimus was large, as all Primes were, but the furniture was designed for a being slightly taller, with a longer reach.

Rodimus Prime rose when he saw them, a gesture of respect Starscream hadn't expected.

"Prime," Starscream greeted with a small bow.

"Starscream." Rodimus gestured an empty chair. "Have a seat and we'll start."

For the next small eternity, they went over the information Starscream had burned to disk, confirming data and filling in blanks he had inadvertently left. They set up preliminary plans for dealing with the most urgent situations, such as the ways Ravage or Laserbeak could get in the base.

At one point, the line of questioning had even swung toward Starscream himself, and the results found from the medical evaluation performed after he had first arrived. The Autobots seemed surprised to discover how much infighting went on amongst the Decepticons, leading many to operate damaged. Throughout, Starscream made himself behave, forced his natural sarcasm to the side. He was here and not in the brig, under interrogation, on Prime's good graces. Not that what was going wasn't interrogation, but at least it didn't include restraints.

They broke for energon three cycles in. Starscream was thankful, both for the break and for the chance to refuel; his systems were still sensitive from the flush Ratchet had performed on him and he had to refuel with small amounts on a frequent basis. Jazz had put his pedes up on a free chair, earning a look from Prowl; there was a silent conversation, confirming Starscream's suspicions that they were bonded.

"Starscream," Rodimus said, drawing the Seeker's attention. "Stop it; you're going to hurt somebody."

"I beg your pardon?" Starscream blinked in puzzlement.

"Stop behaving so nicely," Prime told him. "You're scaring Prowl."

The mech in question choked on his energon, sputtering and cycling his vents as he tried to clear his intake. Jazz's pedes hit the floor with a thunk as he attempted to avoid the same fate.

Starscream could only splutter. "Wha- you... What?"

"You're never this well-behaved." Prime tried to maintain a bland expression, but it wasn't long before a mischievous smirk spread across his face. "Scrap the manners, Starscream, before you blow a gasket seal."

Prowl had recovered by this time and was glaring at his bondmate, who was laughing into his fist in an attempt to silence himself, shoulders shaking with his mirth. Not taking his optics off Jazz, Prowl added, "Indeed. Your model behavior is almost spark-chilling."

Jazz merely waved his free hand at him, rapid esoteric motions no doubt only another Autobot could understand. Starscream leaned back into his chair, wondering if he needed to comm Ratchet for a series of sanity checks. "I thought it would help matters but if you insist."

"I insist." Prime crossed his arms and leaning back to rest his pedes on his desk. "Lighten up, Starscream. I take defection seriously but I don't expect you to change."

"Really?" Starscream drawled. "Then why am I allowed private quarters? And to keep Optronix?"

"Didn't seem right to toss you in the brig, after you brought us so much intel." Prime gestured at the disks they'd been discussing. "You've co-operated fully; Ratchet even said you were a model patient."

Mainly because he had been too busy savoring the feeling of good health to work up much ill will; Starscream hadn't realized his health had fallen so far until it had been restored. "And Optronix?"

Prime shrugged. "Kid likes you."

Starscream scoffed incredulously. "That can't be the only reason," he said. "Or, at least, there must be a better reason than simply catering to a sparkling's... attachment."

"I dare say it's more than a matter of mere 'attachment'," Prowl said. "He escaped from his playpen, and was well-along in getting out of our quarters, all in an effort to get to you."

"But if you're lookin' for a 'better' reason," Jazz chimed in after having finally calmed down, "there's the fact that the kid's not shouting Decepticon propaganda left, right, and center like some mini-Megatron."

"He _is_ a little young for warfare," Starscream told him archly.

"I don't know about that. He'd be death on anybody's ankle joints," Rodimus joked.

"And their paint job," Jazz managed to choke out before starting to laugh again.

Starscream considered for a moment, then kicked a leg out, striking the other mech's chair and jarring it. Jazz yelped, flailing as he righted himself and his seat.

"Why'd Megatron do it, anyway?" Rodimus asked. "Turn Optimus into a sparkling, I mean."

Starscream cycled his vents angrily, thrusters whining briefly.

"The _mighty_ Megatron," Starscream began, and couldn't keep the contempt out of his voice, "thought that he could raise him to be a Decepticon. A 'mini-Megatron'."

He smirked at the horrified reactions that garnered and continued. "The process wasn't perfected but Megatron insisted on proceeding," he said. "The return to adulthood was supposed to be accelerated and, coupled with special downloads, would have had him fighting for the Decepticons in a short time."

"Downloads?" Rodimus moved to lean his arms on his desk. "Ratchet didn't-"

"Those never happened. They were coordinated with the accelerated growth and applying them without it would be... disastrous."

"And he's not developing any faster than a normal sparkling," Prowl stated.

"No."

"Do you know why?"

"Not yet," Starscream grudgingly admitted. "I have some avenues I would like to finish investigating."

Rodimus nodded. "Ratchet's interested too. So are Wheeljack and Perceptor." He pinned Starscream with an intense look. "Can Megatron repeat it?"

"No," Starscream said, nonchalant. "A virus infected the device the day I left. Wiped the memory completely. Fortunately, my copy remained unaffected."

"What about the device itself?" the Autobot's saboteur asked. "Is it still functional?"

"With its memory wiped, the device is nothing more than a glorified CR chamber. Not that it matters, as a second virus infected the chamber's picotrons and it... disassembled itself into a pool of cryo fluid and metal pieces."

"You can get picotrons to do that?" Jazz sounded both aghast and intrigued.

"Yes, but the danger is that the picotrons will not stop at dissembling what they were intended to. The device used some unique energies and the picotrons followed that signature briefly, before turning on each other." Starscream leaned back in his chair. "It would have occurred a short time after the first onset of the virus."

"A short time after you left?" Prime asked slyly.

"Just so," Starscream smugly replied.

ooOO0OOoo

Satisfied that they had covered everything that needed looking at for that day, Rodimus had adjourned their meeting and thanked Starscream for his co-operation. Jazz escorted Starscream back to the daycare to retrieve Optronix, who slid into a light recharge on Starscream's back before they even reached their quarters.

On the way, Jazz asked questions about his backing system; how it worked, how difficult the retrofitting was, what it did for a sparkling. Starscream answered his questions, amused at Jazz' interest and his own willingness to answer. Probably a leftover from spending the orn answering questions, or perhaps he was grateful that Jazz did not stray into personal territory.

"Sparklings are still built to interface with a backing system; medics use the data and access ports," Starscream explained, waiting for Jazz to open the door to his quarters. "The support connections are not always present but are easily added."

"Interesting." Jazz extended a data-cable from his arm, inserting it into an outlet on the panel, and the door slid open. Starscream entered, immediately heading towards the washrack, but paused when he noticed Jazz had followed.

"Sorry to intrude, but didn't think you wanted to do this outside," he said. The door slid shut behind him, locking automatically.

"Do what, exactly?" Starscream inquired, apprehension curling through his systems.

"Blaster's gonna pick up Optronix every day. We'll be taking over his education."

"Really," Starscream drawled. Was he losing Optronix after all? "And will you be taking over his recharge cycle as well?"

Jazz leaned against the door, at ease despite the venom starting to lace Starscream's voice. "Nah, he'll still come back here for that."

Starscream crossed his arms to hide the tremble in them, looking away with a hard cycle of his vents.

"No offense, Starscream, but nobody trusts you." Jazz looked at him, completely serious. "Most Autobots still want you in the scrap heap."

"So this is for my safety, then? I'm honored."

Jazz smirked, apparently enjoying the sarcasm that Starscream was no longer holding back. "Give us a few days and we'll getcha set up in a lab. Skyfire's got some things he said he wants your help on."

Starscream sneered at him. "Give me something to do when I'm not spilling Decepticon secrets?"

"Or raising a sparkling." Jazz nodded at him, data-cable sliding out so he could open the door. "Things'll get better when you've earned some trust."

Starscream contemplated the closed door for a few moments. Huffing, he turned to back to the washrack; Optronix needed to be cleaned before going to berth. He had somehow become covered in 'finger-paint' and was a multi-colored mess.


	6. Coda

A coda to Talk the Walk; Prowl and Jazz have a discussion.

* * *

Jazz walked into Prowl's office a few minutes after leaving Starscream, and found his bondmate scrutinizing something on his monitor. Scooting around, Jazz saw that the monitor was displaying a direct feed to Starscream's quarters. The occupants were in the washrack getting the finger-paint off, and Optronix was telling Starscream all about his day and the people he met, and generally just being a sparkling. A livelier sparkling than Prowl or Jazz were used to seeing.

Starscream was listening closely, answering his questions without the sarcasm he was famous for. He was gentle, too, drying Optronix off and carrying him to the couch.

"Domestic," Jazz murmured, placing a hand on Prowl's shoulder and rubbing his thumb along his neck.

"It is," Prowl agreed, leaning into Jazz' caress. "This is an aspect of Starscream I had never suspected to exist."

"Me, neither." Jazz watched as Starscream shifted, arranging Optronix into a more comfortable position as he reclined onto the couch. He reached for one of the large datapads and began reading to Optronix in soft tones. "Think that's the Starscream Skyfire knew? 'Cause I really can't see him hanging with the one we know."

"Possibly." Prowl leaned back in his chair, optics on the monitor. "I admit, I'm curious about the subject of his family; the records of that time are spotty and contain nothing about Starscream's bonding notice. Skyfire has said nothing else - he avoids the question actually - and I doubt Starscream would be willing to share."

"That why you're watchin' him?"

"Partly. Red Alert has him under observation at all times of course but I am curious; he is not acting entirely as I expected."

"I noticed that too," Jazz mused. "And Prime didn't seem surprised during the meeting; think he knows something we don't?"

"Likely. Ratchet paid him a visit after the initial briefing, staying for several breems."

"And you think he told Rodimus something he left out of the medical report."

"I do." Prowl minimized the video, bringing up part of Ratchet's medical report. "I believe that Starscream's cumulative damage was worse than we were led to believe."

Leaning over Prowl's shoulder, Jazz reread the report. Tapping the screen, ignoring Prowl's frown as it wavered, Jazz told him, "You're right. Processor damage. Damn, must be getting old to miss that."

Prowl frowned, optics flickering over the indicated portion of text. "I don't see where that is stated."

"It isn't," Jazz told him quietly. "Not specifically, anyway. But you can infer from the damage."

"Ah." Prowl let the subject drop; Jazz was familiar with that kind of damage due to his frequent involvement in interrogations. A touchy subject at the best of times. "Given that Ratchet would repair those kinds of injuries, we are now dealing with a different Starscream."

"Uh-huh. One that's completely fixated on keeping his sparkling safe."

Prowl looked at his bondmate, fondness lightening his optics. "You are being romantic again."

Jazz grinned. "Possibly, but Starscream does want to keep him. He's afraid we'll take Optronix away, although he's trying hard not to show it."

Prowl made a noncommittal sound and started shutting down his computer. "It is difficult to believe that Starscream is capable of putting someone else's well-being before his own."

Jazz stepped back to let Prowl rise, then slid into place next to him as they headed towards their quarters. "As Sherlock Holmes said, 'Eliminate out the impossible, then whatever left, however improbable, is the truth.'"

"Occam's Razor," Prowl corrected. "What were you two discussing?"

Jazz slid a knowing grin his bondmate's way. "Asked him about backing; seems a great way to deal with a sparkling. Don't have to worry about energon purity, easy anti-viral updates, and both your hands are free while keeping the kid safe."

Pausing his hand over the doorpad, Prowl softly asked, "Are you thinking of creating?"

"I am." Jazz fit himself along Prowl's back, tracing a light finger across the top of a doorwing. "How about you?"

"I am-" Prowl shuddered at the pleasurable sensation. "I am willing to discuss it."

"By all means." Jazz gently pushed his bondmate through the now-open door, steering them both towards the berth. "Let's discuss."


	7. Blaster's Daycare

Title: Blaster's Daycare  
Author: Lurkerlynne  
Characters: Optronix, Blaster and company, various original characters  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Optronix's first day in the daycare. Companion piece to _Talk the Walk_  
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!  
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes.

* * *

Blaster could tell Optronix wasn't entirely sure what to make of the other younglings. Currently, there were three of them occupying the large, open room that was the daycare center. Taking Optronix's hand and slowly leading him into the room, he pointed each of the younglings out. "That's Shado, with the dark green paint, and Patchup, the white and green one. Shado, Patchup, this is Optronix."

"Shado and Patchup, both in their 5th vorn, turned around from where they were watching a vidscreen and waved.

Optronix shyly returned their greetings but stuck close to Blaster. Blaster could feel his apprehension flickering through his energy field.

"And this," Blaster gestured at the approaching youngling, the oldest at 95 vorns, with black paint gleaming in the lights, "is Wildride. He's my helper. 'Ride, this is Optronix."

"Hi," Wildride said.

"Hi." Optronix shyly replied.

"Wanna go play with the legos?" Wildride asked, holding a hand out.

Optronix stared at him for a few moments, then nodded. He took the hand Wildride offered and they walked to the lego station. Settling on the floor, Wildride pulled a building table over and demonstrated how the legos went together. Optronix chirred happily, sorting through the box, pulling out legos and stacking them. Eject wandered over to Blaster and they watched Optronix happily build... whatever it was until the sounds of an argument drew their attention to where Patchup and Shado were quarreling over a ball. Luckily, Wheeljack had arrived at that time, to speak with Blaster about a new entertainment system, and was able to have a talk with his youngling about fighting.

Afterwards, Shado and Patchup were given simple story datapads to read while the two adults discussed Wheeljack's blueprints; 'Jack was pointing out a specific feature when a commotion started by the lego station.

Optronix was wailing loudly, and Wildride was attempting to calm him. Blaster exchanged a concerned look with Wheeljack and walked over. Crouching in front of Optronix, he asked, "What's wrong, Optronix?"

Optronix huddled closer, and Blaster took him into his arms. "Megton here!"

"What happened, Wildride?" Blaster prompted.

The youngling shrugged in confusion. "I dunno. I was just playing with him. Thought he might like the action figures, so I brought them over-" He held up a doll that resembled the Decepticon leader's mech-form, "- and suddenly he was freaking out. I'm sorry..."

Blaster nodded thoughtfully. "It's okay. Thanks, Wildride. I'll take care of Optronix. Why don't you help the others with their reading."

Wildride seemed reluctant to leave the upset sparkling, but Steeljaw encouraged him to join the others in their reading circle.

Looking down at the sparkling in his arms, Blaster said, "Optronix, baby, Megatron's not here."

"Is!" Optronix pressed closer, systems starting to whine softly with his distress.

"No, baby, he's not. I promise." Blaster stroked Optronix's head and back. "It's just a toy. Wildride was playing."

"Megton not _play_!" Optronix's anguished reply was muffled in Blaster's chestplate.

Blaster tried to look down at him but was unable to; Optronix was too close and Thing's plush fabric bumped his chin. Sighing softly, Blaster shifted to pull Optronix onto his lap. "No, baby, he's not play."

To the Autobot younglings Megatron was something their creators fought, something that sent them home damaged, but none of them had ever met the Decepticon leader. Megatron was a monster they'd never seen and so he was like the human's boogeyman; their children played with dolls of him, defeating their monster through that play.

"Poor kid." Wheeljack murmured, watching them both from where he stood next to Blaster.

A sudden thought occurred to Blaster and he commed Wheeljack. /Is there a Megatron in the toys we gave him?/

A pause, then: /Primus, I hope not. I'll go look./

Blaster watched him go, holding Optronix while his systems stuttered. "Want me to call Starscream?" Primus knew why the kid was so attached to that bootleg but he'd call if he had to. Anything to get the kid's distress under control.

"Stasceam busy." Optronix was still pressed close enough that his voice was muffled but he was calming down, the soft whine of overworked systems tapering off.

"I can still call," Blaster said, not liking the heat coming off Optronix.

"No ine'upt leadih."

"Rodimus won't mind," Blaster told him, looking around for a heat- dispersing blanket.

"No ine'upt leadih!" Optronix was nearly crying again.

"Okay, okay. I'm won't call. Shh." He grabbed a blanket from the pile and settled into a quiet corner, wrapping blanket around the small frame and pulling a corner up over his head. "We'll just sit here 'til he gets back."

/Blaster, the doll's gone/ Wheeljack reported. /Everything else is here but not that. Starscream must've seen it./

/Good./ Blaster started playing a wordless Seibertronian lullaby, settling Optronix into a more comfortable position. /We're idiots for not realizing./

/So Starscream's gonna say. Call him yet?/

/Kid doesn't want me to; 'No interrupt leader', he said. He's terrified of Megatron and probably thinks Prime is just like him./

Wheeljack buzzed in revulsion and signed off. Rodimus was _nothing_ like Megatron, and not a whole lot like Optimus had been either.

Singing softly with the next lullaby, he synced his energy fields as best he could with Optronix's in an attempt to soothe the sparkling. Optronix clicked, pulling the blanket closer, and snuggled further into Blaster's hold. Blaster silently thanked Primus that his systems were beginning to stabilize; if they hadn't, he would have had to call Starscream to deal with the situation.

A cycle passed, Optronix lying quietly in Blaster's arms. At fueling time, he drank his energon curled against Blaster, instead of sitting with the other younglings. The older mech took the cup when Optronix was finished, placing it to the side and getting comfortable again; Optronix didn't seem to want to get up, and Blaster was disinclined to move him.

"What that is?"

"What?" Blaster shook himself out the partial recharge he'd fallen into. He shut off the lullabies he was still playing and revved his systems to wake himself up faster.

"That." Optronix pointed at the group that had been reading and were now finger-painting. "What is?"

"They're finger-painting. Wanna join em?" Optronix thought for a minute.

"Uh-huh," he said, and slithered off Blaster's lap, dragging Thing behind him by one ear. Blaster levered himself to his feet using the wall for balance and followed. Optronix crouched next to the large paper all the other kids were decorating, trilling curiously.

Blaster tugged at Thing, "Gonna want to put this someplace else, baby."

Optronix looked at Thing, then Blaster. "Baby?" His optics flickered in question.

Blaster grinned. "'Nother name for a sparkling."

"Oh, kay." Optronix looked a little puzzled. "Why put Thing away?"

"Don't wanna get him dirty, do you?"

"No," Optronix agreed, then frowned. "Wash off?"

"Washes off people just fine," Blaster reassured him.

"Kay." Thing was handed to him and placed on a nearby chair. Optronix watched the other kids for a bit then cautiously dipped a finger into a pot. He looked at the result before sticking it in his mouth, immediately pulling it out with a grimace and disgusted noise. Stuff tasted foul, to discourage ingestion, but was safe.

"Like this." Shado gathered some paint and drew a face on the paper. Optronix hummed in interest, putting his own fingers on the paper, smearing a lopsided blob. He giggled, gathering more paint and making the blob bigger.

Wildride leaned over to dab another color, turning the blob into a face with a mustache and donkey ears. Optronix giggled, making another blob for Wildride to decorate. Patchup beat him to it, adding her own paint to make an animal with spots.

Blaster left them to their painting, going to the refueling station for some energon of his own. Sipping at the cube, Blaster watched the kids decorate the paper, musing on the resilience of children.

ooOO0OOoo

Starscream returned, Jazz escorting him, during the evening fueling. He raised an optic ridge at the state Optronix was in. The sparkling was decorated with handprints, stripes, and his miniature antennae were a vibrant green.

Optronix squeaked in delight when he saw Starscream, dropping his cup to run to him. "You back!"

"I said I would be." Starscream looked down at the sparkling wrapped around his leg. "What in Primus' name happened to you?"

"Fing' paint!" Optronix exclaimed, standing on Starscream's pede. "Fun! Did picteih."

"Did you?" Starscream sounded amused, and not entirely certain he wanted the paint-smeared Optronix touching him.

"Want see?" Optronix looked at him earnestly, bouncing on his pedes.

"Only if you've finished your energon, first."

"Finished 'gon! Picteih ov' thae." Optronix pointed to the far wall, which was nearly covered in the younglings' artwork. He giggled when Starscream stepped over to the wall, Optronix still clinging to his leg.

Starscream crouched down to Optronix's level, listening as Optronix pointed at his picture and excitedly told him about it. The other two younglings joined them, pointing out their own pictures. Starscream arched an optic ridge in surprise but listened, quietly praising their efforts.

"C'mon, help clean up before you leave," Blaster said after a few moments, and shooed Optronix towards the pile of empty energon cups. "Same with you two; your parents are going to be here in a few minutes."

"Kay." Optronix trotted off, following Shado and Patchup.

Blaster braced himself, before turning to Starscream. Voice lowered, he said, "Had a little problem today. Thought you should know about it."

"Oh?"

"Optronix had a panic attack; thought Megatron was here-"

"What?" Starscream crowded him, and Jazz was immediately at his side. "Why would he th-" Starscream cut himself off. Head lowering and wings flaring as rage radiated off him, he guessed correctly, "You did not remove the doll."

"No." Blaster fought for his calm, reminding himself that the Seeker was unarmed, that Jazz was right next to him and his Cassettes were a few feet away. "Or warn the children not to mention him."

When Starscream didn't launch into a tirade, or try to remove limbs, Blaster continued.

"I sat with him for a while until he calmed down, and he seemed all right after that. Spent most of the afternoon finger-painting. It was an oversight and I'm sorry."

"Hn." Starscream stared at him, optics narrowed and darkly flickering, for a few moments until his wings flicked. "Be certain it doesn't happen again."

Optronix made his way back to them. He leaned against Starscream, optics flickering sleepily. "We go now?"

"Yes. We need to get you cleaned up before recharge." Starscream sent Blaster one last look before gently picking Optronix up and swinging him onto his back. Starscream plucked Thing off his chair, handing him back to Optronix. "Here."

"Bye, 'tronix!" Shado called.

"Bye!" Patchup echoed, waving. Optronix waved back from his position on Starscream's back.

"Good evening." Starscream nodded to the younglings, narrowing his optics at Blaster, before following Jazz out the door.

Blaster watched them go, musing that Optronix wasn't the only one who needed a bath; the kid apparently wasn't as dry as he'd thought and Starscream had handprints and marks all over the leg Optronix had clung to.


	8. Meet the Sparklings

Title: Meet the Sparklings  
Author: Lurkerlynne  
Characters: Various original characters plus Blaster and Starscream  
Rating: G  
Summary: Introducing all of the Autobot kids.  
Disclaimer: Still not mine. Except for Optronix, which means I have Starscream. Woo-hoo!  
Notes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes. Also, math is not one of my strong suits, so apologies of I get anything wrong.

* * *

Wildride let the noise of the younglings distract him from his homework and turned to watch them; they were all present that day, and the noise was providing a welcome interruption.

Landslide was chasing a giggling Flipside, roaring like his creator. Or trying to; he lacked the vocal processors to pull off the kind of volume and frequency level that Grimlock could. All of a sudden Overhaul, Flipside's twin, intercepted Landslide and they went rolling onto the sleeping mats. Flipside jumped in with a yell of his own and they gleefully wrestled.

With the exception of Landslide and Optronix, all of the younglings had been sparked on Seibertron, and though most of them were fortunate to have been reunited with their creators after they had been retrieved from stasis, the twins hadn't been so lucky. Their creators were among the unfortunate mechs who were permanently offlined by the crash to Earth, and so Flipside and Overhaul had been adopted by Red Alert and Inferno.

Wildride grinned as he watched them play. They were the only ones that could keep up with the mini-Dinobot, whose development had been accelerated to that of a 6-vorn old. Neither Swoop nor Grimlock were entirely prepared for the realities of taking care of a new spark and aging the sparkling had been the best solution.

The three sprang apart and started the chase all over again, this time Overhaul chasing Flipside. Steeljaw and Ramhorm watched them carefully, amusement in their optics as they waited to see if they needed to intervene.

On the other side of the room was Pathway with Eject, carefully constructing a representation of a tree out of a pile of tinkertoys. He was a fun little guy and full of weird facts about nature. Beachcomber had split his spark to make him, and was the only other mech, besides Blaster, that Wildride had ever heard of doing something like that.

Patchup and Shado were curled up together on a cushioned chair and reading a datapad, occasionally sounding a word out aloud and crowing when the 'pad confirmed the pronunciation. The two of them were nearly inseparable and had been since they'd been introduced; Patchup spent as much time at Hound and Mirage's quarters as Shado did at Ratchet and Wheeljack's.

Rewind was seated nearby, engrossed in his own datapad and glancing up at the two every once in a while.

Blaster, their caretaker, was in the rocking chair, holding Optronix. The sparkling was deep in recharge and didn't so much as twitch when Landslide and the twins shrieked in delight. Sparklings as young as Optronix needed to recharge a lot, since their energy reserves weren't that big and depleted quickly; Wildride didn't think the little guy had been all that physically active before coming here and so ran down even faster. He remembered Patchup being able to run her creators into the ground before needing to recharge when she was that age.

"Guys," Blaster called. "Time for school."

Landslide and the twins groaned theatrically but dutifully tramped over to collect datapads. Blaster carried Optronix over to where they gathered, accepting the datapad Flipside handed him. "Thank you."

Wildride sighed as the four of them settled in for lessons; no more distractions. Turning back to his own math, Wildride read the equations again. And it still didn't make sense! He scowled at his pad, poking harder with his stylus than was recommended.

"Something wrong?"

Wildride jumped at the voice just behind him. Whirling around, he saw Starscream standing behind him; Trailbreaker lurked behind the Seeker. "What are you doing here?"

"Refueling break," Starscream told him, leaning forward to look at the holodisplay of the equation. "I thought to visit with Optronix."

"He's recharging," Wildride said, fighting the urge to hide his datapad; Starscream was a scientist and could probably solve the slagging equation in a pumpbeat.

"So I see." Starscream frowned thoughtfully. "Quantum equations?"

"Yeah." Wildride scowled at the display. "It's due tomorrow."

Starscream pulled over a chair and sat down, tugging the datapad closer to get a better look. His optics flickered as he read through the problem and then paged through the entire assignment. "There's an easier way to solve these."

"It's the only way Perceptor taught me."

"Perceptor has difficulty understanding that others are not as proficient, scientifically, as he is and therefore teaches at his level."

Starscream called up the first equation and displayed it. Plucking the stylus from Wildride's fingers, the Seeker walked Wildride through a different way to solve. Soon, a graph bloomed on the display.

"You did it!"

"You can as well." Starscream handed the stylus back. "Next problem."

"Okay." Encouraged, Wildride started the next equation. He got stuck a short ways in and Starscream talked him through it; he wouldn't do the work or out-and-out say what Wildride was supposed to do but that was all right; Starscream explained, and he did it in a way that Wildride could understand.

He lost track of time as Starscream walked him through his assignment, teaching him how best to show his work and easier ways to solve some of the equations. Not the most elegant or fastest solutions but ones that didn't confuse him.

"Working on extra-credit?" Blaster asked, amusement coloring his voice. He was still carrying Optronix; behind him, the younglings were working at their datapads.

"Something like that." Wildride grinned. "This is finally making sense."

Blaster grinned back. "I know the feeling; one of the human scientists tried to teach me string theory a couple years ago and it finally started sinking in after the second week."

Turning to Starscream, Blaster continued. "Thought you'd want a little time with Optronix before you went back."

"Don't online him." Starscream rose to stand next to Blaster, stroking a gentle hand down Optronix's helm. "He still runs down quickly?"

"Yeah, but that's not unusual for a sparkling his age," Blaster reassured him. "It'll get better as his systems adjust to being more active; he'll be running the lot of us into the ground in no time."

"Hn." Starscream didn't sound all that reassured.

"Wanna hold him?"

"I must be going back shortly," Starscream told him, still watching Optronix.

"Actually," Trailbreaker broke in, "we shoulda headed back a couple of breems ago."

At Starscream's look, Trailbreaker informed him. "I radioed Prime and told him you were caught up with a few things here. He said to head back whenever you were finished."

"And you left him believing there was a problem with Optronix," Starscream said flatly.

"Nah. He's probably thinking you needed a longer break and were using Optronix as an excuse." Trailbreaker's visor lightened in a grin. "Although, if I told him you were explaining quantum equations, he'd tell you to wait until he could join in."

"They are not that difficult." Starscream scowled.

"For you maybe," Blaster broke in. "Us working-mechs aren't that lucky."

"You're a communications specialist!" Starscream scoffed.

"I'm a comm specialist with a fantastic cheat-sheet." Blaster tapped his helm. "Got a few programs that help me get by."

"Cheater." Starscream tsked. "Not a good example for the younglings. Cover your audios, Wildride."

"Oh, he can come up with his own cheats; I have no intention of sharing."

Wildride listened to the adults snark at each other, trying not to grin; Ironhide, his Da, had a lot to say about Starscream and none of it was nice. He was glad to see that the Seeker wasn't anywhere near as bad as Ironhide had claimed. Starscream and Optronix were tight and having Optronix in the daycare meant that he'd be seeing a lot of Starscream. Chromia didn't like the Seeker any more than Ironhide did but wasn't as vocal about it; his mom was willing to be convinced Starscream was sincere in his defection.

Turning back to his assignment when the adults started walking to the door, Wildride thought that having Starscream stop by a lot wouldn't be such a bad thing if he could translate Perceptor's techno-babble into something easily understandable.

And as far as Wildride was concerned, that was better than any intel that Starscream gave Rodimus.


	9. Meet the Prime

Apologies for missing last week's post. _ RL has bitten me hard and I didn't realize what day it was until Tuesday evening. And this time I kept thinking it was Sunday for most of the day.

* * *

Characters: Rodimus Prime, Optronix, Starscream and Ratchet  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Rodimus meets Optronix  
otes: rezuri beta'd but I still lay claim to any and all mistakes. Mwahahaha! :} Many thanks to Carmella deWinter for inspiration on the epilogue. :D

* * *

Optronix was the only sparkling in the daycare that day. All of the others were either accompanying their creators onshift or were having a family day. A lab had finally been secured for Starscream and the Seeker was inspecting both it and the projects Skyfire had arranged. Blaster had thought to offer to play with him at first, as most of the younglings grew restless without their friends to keep them company, but he was surprised and slightly confused by how happy Optronix seemed at the prospect of having free reign over the room.

Though the more Blaster thought about it, the more sense it made that Optronix would know how to occupy his time. Optronix was a sociable sparkling, but he had learned at an early age that very few were willing to entertain him. He was used to having only his imagination for a playmate and whatever was handy for toys.

Blaster watched, smiling fondly, as Optronix propped Thing up against the leg of a table and dumped the container of blocks out between them. Optronix had a love of building and little joy in destruction; unlike Landslide, who would pile things up just to knock them down, Optronix's building efforts tended to last until told to put them away. Syncing himself with the comm scanners, Blaster absently flipped through channels while he watched Optronix lay out a foundation of blocks. Noting several frequencies playing music, Blaster looked for suspicious activity; the Decepticons had been quiet since Starscream defected but Blaster knew that wouldn't last for much longer.

A flash of orange in his peripheral vision caught his attention and Blaster turned his head to see Rodimus step into the daycare. Blaster shunted the scan to the back of his processors and calmly intercepted Prime.

"Hey," Rodimus said quietly.

"Backatcha," Blaster replied easily. "Did you need something?"

"Nah." Rodimus rocked on his heels. "Thought I'd come by and see Optronix."

Blaster thought quickly; Rodimus would not like what he had to say. "That... may not be wise. Optronix thinks a Prime is the same as Megatron."

"I'd heard." Rodimus grimaced. "I was just going to say 'hi'. I left orders to be contacted by private comm only, and only if it's important." Rodimus wheedled. "Lemme talk to the kid."

"All right," Blaster said. "But be careful."

ooOO0OOoo

Optronix blinked at the adult that had settled next to him. He was a large mech with flames on his chestplate and what looked like small golden wings on his back.

"Hi! I'm Roddy," he said with a friendly smile.

"...Hi," Optronix said shyly, turning a block over in his hands.

"Whatcha building?" Roddy asked, looking through the pile of blocks.

"A castle." Optronix pointed to the partially built wall. "That the gate."

"Want some help? I'm pretty good at building stuff."

Optronix thought about that for a bit. "Kay. That wall has tu'it."

With Roddy's help, they built a bigger castle than Optronix had ever managed before; Roddy knew how to stack the blocks really tall without them falling over or making the walls really thick.

Roddy looked at the castle when they were done, and said, "That's the best castle I've ever built."

"Me too." Optronix grinned.

Roddy stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You know what this needs?"

Optronix looked at the castle, confused; it had everything a castle should have. "What?"

"A battle. Can't be a proper castle without someone laying siege."

Optronix giggled and went to get the box with the action figures.

ooOO0OOoo

He was defending the castle against Roddy's army when a mech he had never seen before walked in. He walked right over to Roddy and said, "Prime, I need you to-"

Optronix froze. That mech was Prime?

With a distraught cry, Optronix scrambled for the nearest hiding place he could find, which happened to be under the vidscreen. It was a good hiding place because he could move along the floor under the shelves to someplace different if he needed to, and it was a big vidscreen, so Prime wouldn't damage that. He hoped. Optronix shut his optics, so they wouldn't shine in the dark space, and curled into the farthest corner. He was confused; he thought Roddy was nice! How could he be Prime?

He could hear Prime demanding to know why he hadn't been commed. Optronix curled into a tighter ball; Prime sounded really angry.

"Optronix!" Blaster's voice was near, but Optronix was too far back for him to reach. "Rodimus isn't going to hurt you. Come on out from under there before you get stuck."

"What's going on?"

Optronix nearly cried out in relief when he heard Starscream. There was a conversation he couldn't hear the words of, then Starscream's voice came again, and he sounded close.

"Optronix. You can come out now. I am here."

Optronix had made the mistake once of revealing himself to Megatron after being hidden by Starscream. It happened during what had ended up being their last month at the Decepticon base. Soundwave had managed to send a warning ahead to Starscream that Megatron was heading towards his lab, and that he looked furious. Starscream had just enough time to place Optronix behind some spare equipment before the noise started.

At some point, amidst the seemingly endless noise of yelling and grinding metal, the Seeker had fallen into stasis lock. Afterward, the room was quiet for so long that Optronix had assumed it was safe to come out. He could see Starscream lying crumpled against the wall on the opposite side of the room, and had crawled out to go to him.

Megatron had been waiting for him when he did.

After that, he always, _always_ waited for Starscream or Soundwave to retrieve him from his hiding places, even if he got really hungry while waiting. Seeing Starscream now, peering at him so calmly, must have meant that Prime was gone, and that it was safe to come out.

With a sigh of relief Optronix inched forward towards Starscream's outstretched hand, but stopped short when he noticed familiar pedes standing close by.

"Stasceam!" he whispered shrilly. "Leadih still outside!"

"Optronix, Rodimus Prime is _nothing_ like Megatron," Starscream said firmly. He stretched out his hand a bit more, palm up. "He won't hurt you. I promise. Please come out."

Fearfully, Optronix let Starscream pull him out, and cringed at the sight of Prime.

This was wrong; he should be hiding! Prime was so close. Close enough to grab him, or hurt Starscream. But Starscream wasn't putting him down, and he couldn't cry; crying made Leader mad.

Making broken, staticky whining sounds, Optronix pressed his face against Starscream's cockpit. His hand tugged at Starscream's shoulder vent; he wanted so badly to be on Starscream's back, to be out of sight.

He wanted to be someplace Prime wasn't.

"Shh. It's okay, it's okay," Starscream whispered. His aura flickered against Optronix's, tangling. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

It made Rodimus' spark ache to see Optronix so terrified. A wave of guilt hit him as he saw Starscream, and how visibly upset he looked, as he tried to calm his trembling sparkling.

"I'm going to go." Rodimus abruptly turned and strode out the door. Starscream glanced at his retreating back before returning his attention to Optronix, whose systems whined as he started crying properly, sobs broken by the squeal of static and overheating systems.

Starscream could do nothing but hold Optronix and pray that Primus would forgive him for not getting him away from Megatron sooner.

"Starscream." Blaster touched his shoulder. "Over here."

Starscream was lead to a strange chair with curved pieces of metal on the ends of the legs. Blaster held the chair as Starscream sat down. One of his Cassettes handed Starscream Thing and Optronix grabbed it tight, burying his face in the soft cloth. A cooling blanket followed, the Cassette helping Starscream wrap it around Optronix.

Blaster startled Starscream by pulling on the top of the chair and making it rock; it was surprisingly pleasant sensation. Setting a slow pace, Starscream concentrated on calming Optronix, vaguely aware of Blaster and his cassettes setting up a privacy screen and white noise generators.

Gradually, Optronix quieted and he lay exhausted against Starscream's cockpit. His only sounds were that of his cooling vents slowing. Starscream continued to rock, humming softly; he was going to have to think of something to convince Optronix that Prime was safe-

"Starscream?" Ratchet's soft voice interrupted his brooding and he looked over to see the mech peeking around the privacy screen. The medic raised his optic ridges and nodded at Optronix.

"Come in," Starscream told him softly. Optronix flinched at his words, pressing close and vocalizing static. "Shh. It's only Ratchet."

"Atchet?" Optronix's voice crackled as he peeked over the form of his toy. Starscream frowned, hoping his vocalizer hadn't been damaged.

"Just me," Ratchet said, crouching down to Optronix's level. "Heard you had a bad orn and came to see if you were okay."

"Met Pime," Optronix told him fearfully.

"So I heard." Ratchet brushed fingers along Optronix's helm. "He gave you quite a scare."

"Uh-huh." Optronix shifted and Starscream moved him so he was sitting, braced against his lower arm. "Thought he was nice."

"He _is_ nice," Ratchet told him, connecting a cable to the dataport on Optronix's shoulder. "Give him a chance to prove it."

"Leadih's not nice," Optronix insisted. "Leadih's mean."

"Not all leaders are mean like Megatron," Starscream told him, rubbing his hand along Optronix's back. "Primes don't like hurting people."

Optronix didn't look convinced.

"No lie, Optronix," Ratchet said. "Rodimus is a good mech; I've known him for vorns. Never hurt anybody outside of a fight and never got into a fight with anybody but a Decepticon."

Optronix still didn't look convinced, but didn't say anything while Ratchet examined him.

"All right then." Ratchet retracted the cable. "Nothing a refueling and a good night's recharge won't cure. The damage is more psychological than physical."

Ratchet held out a hand and Starscream hesitated a moment before taking it, allowing the smaller mech to lever him out the rocking chair and making it much easier to hold on to Optronix. He disentangled the sparkling from the blanket and swung him onto his back, initiating refueling protocols as soon as they connected.

Starscream draped the blanket over the chair, tapped the white noise generators off and headed for their quarters. Optronix snuggled closer on his back and Starscream could feel the weight of the sparkling's helm come to rest on his upper back. Contentment filtered through their link, the lingering fear draining away.

ooOO0OOoo

Starscream had geared himself up to strip paint off Rodimus the next time he saw the mech, which was the next day during another debriefing. He thought he did an admiral job of masking his anger while with his escort; no sense in getting riled up too soon, or they would never let him near Prime.

Rodimus stood as Starscream entered his office. "Please, close the door."

Starscream complied, jabbing at the doorlock in the process; no need for witnesses. He turned a seething glare on Prime and, too angry to give a fried circuit that it could probably land him in the brig, marched right up to the taller mech and snarled, "You idiot! You fragging-"

"What I did was thoughtless," Rodimus interrupted. "I was warned not to go near him, but did anyway. That was careless."

Starscream could only scowl and agree. "Yes. It was."

The Seeker raised his chin defiantly. Had it been Megatron he was back-talking, he'd already be on the floor with a fusion cannon pressed against his helm, followed by a long session of Putting Starscream In His Place. Though Starscream didn't believe Rodimus Prime was the type to strike mechs under his command, this was still their first argument alone.

Starscream needn't have worried, though Rodimus' reaction to the disdainful tone was still not one he expected.

He watched in disbelief as Rodimus gracefully sank down to kneel in on the floor, hands raised palm-up in front of him in the outmoded bow of sincere apology.

"I am sorry."

Knocked off-balance, Starscream could only stare. In older times, the gesture meant that Rodimus had just given Starscream permission to remove limbs. Bowing all the way to the floor would have indicated consent to deactivation.

Starscream stared at the hands. He hadn't been on the receiving end of an apology from the head of command in an extremely long time. Even then, there was no way Megatron would've deigned to offer such an apology, to make himself so vulnerable.

Rodimus held his position, head bowed; he wouldn't move until Starscream allowed it.

Feeling strangely comforted, Starscream pushed Rodimus's hands down, and replied, "Apology accepted, the infraction forgiven."

His reply, worded the way it was, meant Starscream wouldn't punish but neither would he forget.

The urge to rebuke gone, Starscream watched Rodimus stand. He was ready to listen.

"How is Optronix?"

"He is better," Starscream replied, seating himself, "and will be fine in another orn."

"Good." Rodimus seated himself as well. "As much as I regret what happened, I think some groundwork has been laid between us."

"You do," Starscream said, a statement rather than a question.

"Yes." Rodimus leaned forward. "The two of us were having fun before that. I can't see Megatron playing with a child."

"He would not." Starscream could see where Prime was headed. "You want to further interact with Optronix."

"Yes." Rodimus looked solemn. "He needs to learn that the Decepticon way isn't the way most people live; teaching him that I'm different than Megatron would probably go a long way towards that."

Starscream thought about that; it was true that much of Decepticon behavior was emboldened by Megatron, either by example, encouragement, or by the illustrious leader ignoring it. Primes tended to be the epitome of the Autobots, leading by example. Showing nobility, caring, all the soft Autobot traits.

"I agree." Starscream leaned forward to glare at Rodimus." But your interactions will be short."

"Okay."

"And I will be present at every one."

"That's a given."

"In that case," Starscream continued, leaning back in his chair, "I will evaluate when it would be best to start implementing this and let you know."

"Sounds good." And that was the end of that particular discussion. Rodimus pulled a datapad out of a stack of them and handed it to Starscream. "Now, on to business. Blaster discovered this broadcast late last night but can't decrypt it yet."

ooOO0OOoo

One week later, Starscream started taking Optronix with him when he met with Prime. Optronix was always on Starscream's back when he did and Optronix discovered that Starscream didn't feel at all like he had when he used to meet with Megtron. His thoughts were calm and there wasn't any kind of energy surge when he met with Prime.

A part of him thought that Rodmus was mean like Megtron, even though Prime didn't act like him at all. He never yelled and stayed away from Starscream. He never got close enough to touch and always greeted Optronix in a nice voice. He had also helped Optronix build the biggest castle he'd ever made and had laughed when they played with the action figures.

But he was Leader, and experience told him that Leaders were mean. Ratchet had said that Prime wasn't like that, wouldn't hurt anybody, but as much as Optronix wanted to believe, he couldn't really. And yet... his systems felt funny whenever the Prime was near. There was something familiar about Prime, like he had met the mech before and didn't remember. But Rodmus was an Ottobaut and he had always been with the Dicepcons.

Concentrating, Optronix tried to figure it out; it wasn't _Rodmus_ that was familiar, but something about him. Like he carried something that called out to his systems.

Optronix wanted to ask but was afraid to; so he would wait, see if Prime was as nice as he acted.

He hoped so. He had liked Roddy.

* * *

Vivienne Grainger wrote me fic! The Once and Future Friend .net/s/6209740/1/The_Once_and_Future_Friend Future!fic; Ironhide watches Optronix while Starscream goes flying.

It's not part of my storyline so far, but the bunnies have been eying it with intent.


	10. One Shall Stand

Summary: When one Prime falls, another rises.

* * *

Contact with Seibertron had been established a year before Optimus' death, and ships started arriving not long after, bringing much needed reinforcements.

HotRod came on the first ship. He had been damaged in battle and his entire left leg and hip joint had to be replaced. Kup had come along to make sure that he followed the medic's repair instructions as well as to take over the construction and maintenance of the base once they landed on Earth, overseeing Grapple and Hoist. It was a pleasant surprise to find out Ultra Magnus was on the ship, discovered when the mech had appeared at his small quarters to check on him, because Magnus was one of very few commanding officers who didn't drag him over the smelting pits whenever he deviated from orders. As long as deviation resulted in good things, anyway. Usually got him lectured, though.

Unfortunately, his lovers, Arcee and Springer, hadn't been able to come with and would be taking a later transport; Springer was out on a Wrecker's mission and Arcee said she's wait for him so he wouldn't have to travel alone. And since she had access to certain bureaucratic things, she could also keep track of how the mission was going. General things but Arcee swore she'd be one of the first to know if someone was deactivated.

After disembarking, Kup dropped HotRod off at the repair bay so one of the medics could check his repairs; the stress of transit could have caused hair-line fractures or pulled connections and according to the medic that had repaired him, his self-repair diagnostics wouldn't detect those problems. The repairs to his limb had been so extensive that they had yet to fully assimilate.

ooOO0OOoo

_The medic, an apprentice called First Aid, gave him a clean bill of health and directions to his quarters. Along the way, he ran into a group of minibots._

_"Hey, guys," he greeted. "Am I headed the right way for blue-12? "_

_"Why?" one of the minibots demanded, a red one._

_"Because he just got in," said a yellow minibot. "Right?"_

_"Right." HotRod smiled winningly; the other minibots hadn't said anything but were looking somewhat hostile. Some of the larger mechs liked picking on minibots and apparently there were a few here._

_"You're in blue-8," the yellow minibot said. "I'm Bumblebee."_

_"HotRod." He sent a formal greeting along the comm frequency used on-base._

_Bumblebee's optics flickered in surprise, then a return greeting flowed back, a little awkwardly. "Sorry, not many people do that anymore."_

_"My mentor's a tad on the old side," HotRod cheerfully told him. "Got me doing all sorts of things that went the way of the dodo."_

_"Ah" Bumblebee gestured for his fellows to go ahead without him. "Transform and I'll show you where your quarters are."_

_"Small problem with that." HotRod watched the minibots walk off, several shooting suspicious glances back at them. He waved. "Can't transform yet."_

_"Oh," Bumblebee looked concerned. "Cog broken?"_

_"Nah, limb replacement. Hasn't fully assimilated yet."_

_"Okay." Bumblebee gestured towards a cross-junction. "It's that way. It's a bit of a walk."_

_"Move slow and I'll be fine."_

ooOO0OOoo

The new arrivals adapted, some faster or better than others. Meeting Prime was an interesting experience; HotRod had heard stories of the Prime his entire existence and that had painted the mental picture of a larger than life mech, all-wise and all-powerful. The real thing was much more down to earth but still awe-inspiring.

Ultra Magnus was assigned to security; he was more than qualified to take over as chief but didn't want to dislodge Red Alert. He was placed as Red's second and some of the first wave Autobots took that as a challenge to see what they could get away with. Which was not a whole lot; Magnus proved himself as perceptive as Prowl where Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were concerned and more creative in their punishment duties, which endeared him to Red Alert, as well as many other Autobots.

ooOO0OOoo

_Springer and Arcee arrived a lunar-cycle after HotRod did; they greeted him with embraces and demands for medical updates._

_"You up and running yet, squirt?" Springer scuffed his knuckles across HotRod's helm as Arcee hugged him._

_"Yup." HotRod twisted out from under Springer's hand, swinging Arcee with him and grinning as she laughed._

_Spinning Arcee into Springer, HotRod collapsed into his altform and took off, wheels squealing. "C'mon you slowpokes! "_

_He led them on a race, delighted Springer chose his groundform instead of his flying altmode. Whooping, he led them into the forest and to a secluded glen. Transforming as he skidded to a stop, HotRod laughed again when Springer transformed and tackled him to the ground. He fought back, getting fingertips into Springer's seams and tickling. He grinned when Springer squirmed and giggled._

_Arcee joined them, her fingers small enough to fit inside Springer's seams and get to parts that made him curl up in self-defense. Springer managed to rally himself; neither Arcee nor HotRod were ticklish, so he applied his efforts to stimulating delicate areas._

_It didn't take long for their horseplay to turn to interfacing; he had dearly missed his lovers and apparently they had missed him just as much._

_Afterwards, they lay together, basking in each other's presence and talking softly, watching Earth's stars rotate across the sky._

ooOO0OOoo

Optimus had gone out to meet with the President.

The meeting had been secret and the security had met Red Alert's stringent standards, so how the Decepticons had found out about it was a mystery for the ages. Most of the humans survived, since the Decepticons had concentrated on Optimus, who had led them away. By the time reinforcements had arrived, all that was left of the fight was deactivated drone shells... and a pile of scrap metal that used to be their Prime. Blaster caught a broadcast later than day; Megatron, bragging about the death of Prime over the airwaves to the entire Earth.

But no mention of the Matrix.

*_That_* was discovered in Optimus's office the next day, carefully placed in a safe only Prowl knew the location of and combination to. Prowl had surprised into stalling when he opened the safe to retrieve some important datachips and saw it there.

Though relieved that Megatron hadn't taken it as well, the Autobots were now presented with a problem; nobody really knew what to do with the Matrix of Leadership. Traditionally, when a Prime was deactivated, it was the responsibility of the Council of Ancients to take possession of it. But the Council had long since been scrapped; Megatron and Starscream had hunted them down early in the war, displaying their disassembled frames on the walls of the ruined Council Chambers.

More than a few Autobots, and some human allies, wondered why Optimus left it behind; had he known, somehow? Sentinel had done the same thing, going to his death while denying Megatron the Matrix.

For lack of any other options, the Matrix had been put under guard. No one knew what methods the Council had used to select the next Prime, so the Matrix was left untouched for months while the officers tried to figure out what to do. Red Alert outdid himself with his security and the guard he insisted on posting was overkill.

The small room the Matrix was housed in became a cross between a museum and a shrine; Optimus had been well-loved and mechs came to pay their respects and gaze on an artifact they had all heard about but never expected to see. And there was a something, some energy that everyone's systems could detect but not evaluate properly, that emanated from the Matrix. It felt a little like coming home after a long mission.

ooOO0OOoo

_HotRod stared at the Matrix, remembering the first time he'd met Prime. It nearly made his processors glitch trying to wrap his head around the fact Optimus Prime was gone. Part of him had expected Prime to live forever._

_"HotRod? Are you listening?"_

_Sighing softly, HotRod slowly turned away from the Matrix to look at Arcee, who was frowning at him. "Hmm?"_

_"Are you ready to go?"_

_From the tone, she had asked several times. HotRod blinked, seeming to come back to himself, and said, "Uh, yeah. Let's go."_

_As they left, HotRod couldn't help but look at the Matrix one more time._

ooOO0OOoo

HotRod kept going back to look at the Matrix, to the point that Springer and Arcee started teasing him about it. He couldn't explain it but he *_had_* to keep going back. Kup was the usual guard when he went; both he had Ironhide alternated for guard duty. Neither had been chosen by the Council of Ancients, but both had been in possession of the Matrix at some point. Oddly enough, both had received the Matrix from *short-lived *Primes, ones not usually mentioned in the Litany since their rule was so brief. Eventually, they gave in to HotRod's insatiable curiosity and confided some of their experiences to him. Ironhide told him about the time he had been giving a tour of the mine he was working at to Sentinel's predecessor when the mine had collapsed. The Prime had been badly damaged and gave Ironhide the Matrix to safeguard it until they were rescued. He had deactivated just as the rescue teams had reached them.

Kup spoke only once about his Prime; never said the name and never said when, but HotRod had gotten the impression that it was way back.

They had been scouting, there was an attack and the Prime had handed him the Matrix before he deactivated. For the garrulous Kup to say little was... disturbing. HotRod figured the two of them had been close and Kup was still mourning, thousands of vorns later. But Kup told him tales of other Primes he had known or heard of when he visited, and he always watched HotRod closely, as though searching for something within his words or actions. HotRod thought he knew something he wasn't saying, but was afraid to ask.

ooOO0OOoo

_Something about HotRod had been... off, all day._

_It started with a general feeling of lethargy. He was reprimanded several times during the morning meeting for not paying attention and then again during work for almost stepping right off the edge of a platform. He had hoped that getting a good refueling would help, but taking in energon only seemed to exacerbate the problem. The servos in his arms kept glitching, knocking things over when he reached for them, and his depth-perception was way out of whack even though the diagnostics he ran said it was fine. By the end of the day he was bumping into people when he tried to walk around them._

_It was frustrating and exhausting, and his processors felt like they were running at half-speed. One of the officers had noticed and ordered him to visit the repairbay, though he bypassed it in favor of his own quarters because it was closer. Stumbling through the door, he wasted no time in crawling onto his berth, which was empty because Arcee and Springer were on duty, and with a relieved crackle of static he sank into recharge._

ooOO0OOoo

Kup was on guard the night it happened. He had kicked back his chair, put his pedes up on the wall next to the only door and gotten comfortable. Then started when the door unexpectedly opened and HotRod walked in; no real surprise, as other Autobots had come in to observe the Matrix of Leadership and HotRod had been a frequent visitor. The room was under surveillance and the Matrix was alarmed, so Kup's presence was mostly attributed to Red Alert's near-obsessive adherence to security protocol.

"Evening, lad," Kup called. He frowned when he noticed that HotRod was... not right. His optics were flickering and his mouth was forming words, but Kup couldn't hear anything. He stood from the chair and strode to HotRod's side. "You feeling all right?"

Heat went up his spinal relays when he finally heard what HotRod was mumbling; the words spoken when a new Prime had been chosen and was receiving the Matrix.

"With reverence I accept the Matrix. With honor I assume the title of Prime."

Kup grabbed HotRod's arm, "HotRod! What-" and broke off when was shoved away. Lying on the floor, Kup could only watch as HotRod, moving like a sleepwalker, smashed the case and picked up the Matrix. Amidst the alarms going off, Kup could hear a beautiful sound, a shimmering note. The room flooded with bright light and when it cleared, HotRod had changed.

HotRod calmly placed the Matrix in his chest, wider and deeper now, and closed the panel. As the younger mech's knees buckled, Kup scrambled to his pedes and managed to catch him before he hit the ground. Reinforcements arrived just as he was lowering HotRod, gaping at the changed features of his apprentice and friend.

ooOO0OOoo

_It was the weirdest dream he had ever had. He was surrounded by bright, cool light that cradle him softly, and he felt surrounded by presences, a chorus of voices talking to him; he thought he heard Optimus among those voices. He couldn't make out more than a word here and there, mostly his name._

_He had the impression he was being asked to do something; something important, something that would be hard. The hardest thing he had ever done._

_"Yes."_

ooOO0OOoo

He onlined to see Kup staring down at him, sadness darkening his optics. "HotRod? Are you functional?"

"Yeah. Um, I think." What the slag was Kup doing in his quarters? HotRod started to sit up, and promptly fell over.

Kup caught him, servos whining softly with the effort. "Careful, lad. Take your time."

Why were Kup's servos working so hard? The old coot had carried him off the battlefield on several occasions and never had a problem before. Looking around, HotRod saw that he was in the Matrix room. That'd explain Kup's presence, but... "How'd I get here?"

"You were Called," Kup told him solemnly.

"Called?" HotRod repeated, confused. "Who called me?"

Kup rested a hand on his chestplate. "This did."

HotRod looked down in confusion; when had his chestplate gotten reformatted? Then he noticed how much smaller Kup's hand looked. His head shot up, optics wide.

"The Matrix Called," Kup said softly. "You're the new Prime."

ooOO0OOoo

The chorus of voices stayed with him for a few joors, and he sat listening to them while the rest of the Ark's officers talked and fretted around him. The Matrix informed him that his designation was now Rodimus, and guided him through the new programs and upgrade files that had accompanied the Prime reformat, before gradually fading away.

Optimus's presence was the strongest in the chorus and he was grateful for that, even if it was just an echo of a dead mech; he wasn't sure he could do this without help. Each Prime left their experiences behind and drawing on them was much like reading a story; all the information was there but the emotion was dulled, a faint wisp of what it should have been.

Rodimus lost orns as he adjusted to the Matrix, going through the experiences of the previous Primes and learning how to keep those 'memories' quiet until he needed them.

Tradition dictated, the memories told him, that a Prime followed the wisdom contained in the Matrix and kept things as they always had been. That wasn't going to happen; Optimus had laid much of the foundation for going against traditions and Rodimus intended to follow his example. Optimus was the first Prime to not follow his predecessors in a long time, wanting to change how things had always been. Make things better, life easier.

Optimus would have been successful, had Megatron not declared war and changed everything himself.

The adjustment to his new position took longer; the social status of his two lovers had been raised along with his and neither of them had any idea of what they were supposed to be doing. Springer had led the Wreckers, had been successful at it, but that was inadequate experience for now being a Prime's Consort; and Arcee, normally quite confident and level-headed, found the sudden celebrity to be disconcerting. Not to mention that it was really, really weird to be taller than Springer. And he had to fight down the urge to handle Arcee like the most delicate crystal; she was so much smaller than himself now.

ooOO0OOoo

_"C'mon, hit me!" Arcee scowled at him, hands on hips and feet solid on the sparring surface._

_"I can't!" Rodimus protested, hands raised. "What if I hurt you?"_

_Arcee, her engine revving, grabbed one of his hands and tossed him over her shoulder. Rodimus hit the floor hard and before he could recover, Arcee was on top of him. Head ringing from the blow, Rodimus could only stare up at his lover. Another angry rev and Arcee was hitting his chestplate, right over his energon pump. It stuttered, sending pain through him._

_"I haven't changed, you slagger!" Arcee hit him again, making the world grey and pixilate as his systems flirted with offlining._

_Rodimus gaped at her, stunned by the vehemence._

_"I'm still the same!" Arcee was leaning on his chestplate now, shouting. "You're the one who changed!"_

_Arcee visibly retrained herself from hitting him again, leaning back. Rodimus felt her systems reset._

_"You won't break me, Roddy," she said quietly. "You can't."_

_Arcee slapped the side of his helm. "Now get up and spar with me for real this time. You need to adjust to the reformatting."_

ooOO0OOoo

Ultra Magnus and Kup treated him much like before; with a little more respect perhaps but still willing to kick his aft when they thought he needed it.

Thank Primus.

For the rest of the crew, the adjustment to a new Prime was rocky; Optimus had been in charge so long pretty much everyone automatically expected him to be the same, and there were some who even thought he'd be a pushover because of his age and inexperience. Ironhide had been insulted on his behalf, and spread tales of Optimus's early reign, regaling everyone with stories of things that went wrong, things that went not as intended but turned out well anyway (that bit about Optimus using loading equipment to repel a Decepticon raid on a dock was *_hilarious_*) and things that went right. Optimus had been completely unprepared, having just reached his majority when he the Council appointed him Prime; Ironhide had delighted in the reactions to that.

Prowl had been helpful too, having gone through the handing over of the Matrix before. He was also not given to emotion where work was concerned, taking Rodimus as he was and telling him when he thought he was wrong and why. But it was difficult, even for one as reserved as Prowl; Rodimus had seen him gazing sadly at something Optimus left behind one day. The reminders of Optimus's presence were all over the base, and outside it.

The basketball court had been empty, until the one day Jazz had gone out to shoot hoops alone. It was another lunar-cycle before the court was regularly used by anyone but Jazz and two more after that before the first game was played.

ooOO0OOoo

_It was the noise that caught his attention first; the sound of an air-filled ball hitting a hard surface drew Rodimus's attention to the window in his office. It looked directly onto the basketball court, where Jazz was shooting hoops._

_Rodimus blinked in surprise; he had never paid much attention to the basketball courts, never cared for the game, and so had missed the fact they had been empty._

_"He used to play one-on-one with Optimus," Prowl's soft voice broke through._

_Rodimus blinked again and focused on Prowl. "What?"_

_Prowl toyed with the datapad he was holding, optics on his bondmate. "Jazz used to play basketball with Optimus. He also captained one of the teams."_

ooOO0OOoo

But things evened out, eventually. He learned how to be a good leader of an entire people, drawing on Optimus's experience, and his lovers adjusted to their roles as his spokemechs. Keeping up with the day to day was slagging boring but he liked meeting with the human leaders; he'd always been a peoplemech and apparently had gained a diplomatic bent somewhere along the way.

It was through those contracts and negotiation deals that Rodimus discovered he was better with diplomacy than Optimus had ever been and the memories in the Matrix confirmed that. Rodimus had been reviewing various contracts with the humans when he noticed it; Optimus had been taken advantage of on several occasions. Giving more than he had gained. A couple of those contracts had to be renegotiated not too long after he became Prime and the unscrupulous humans had tried to take advantage of his inexperience.

ooOO0OOoo  
_  
"Wait. What's this?" Rodimus looked closer at the contract, then scrolled further down. "I believe you're trying to pull a fast one, Mr. Simon."_

_The human had the audacity to look confused. "I assure you, Rodimus, I'm doing no such thing. Your predecessor agreed to these terms three years ago."_

_"Well, that was three years ago," Rodimus said softly. "And I am not Optimus Prime. We are going to change these terms."_

ooOO0OOoo

But Optimus had been the better warleader. Rodimus wanted to dive into a fight like he'd always had. He'd been in charge of battle units before, small groups that had an objective to complete before disbanding. Being in charge of an entire army was different. Prowl was trying to help, same with Ironhide. It wasn't going well; Rodimus just didn't have the head for those kinds of tactics. The Big Picture, Battlefield Version was something he couldn't wrap his head around easily, even if he drew on the Matrix.

ooOO0OOoo

_"Slag!" Rodimus collapsed across the table with a thunk, making the holodisplay flicker. Banging his head against the table's surface was more than the device was willing to put up with and it shut off with a small click._

_"Indeed." Prowl's dry voice made Rodimus look up; the tactician was frowning at the area the battle simulation had been. "That was... disastrous."_

_Leaning his chin on his hand, Rodimus poked the display back into life and scowled at it; 3-dimensional Decepticons were caught in mid-motion, stepping over dead Autobots and gleefully hauling away energon cubes under Megatron's smirking gaze. "Yeah, disastrous."_

_Understatement of the vorn._

_Prowl's frown deepened as the mock-battle ran, displaying in glorious color the Autobot defeat, all orchestrated by Rodimus._

_"I'm gonna get us all killed."_

_Prowl hummed in reply, distraction in the sound. Rodimus looked over to him gazing at the display, one finger tapping the table. "Perhaps I should go with Ironhide's suggestion," Prowl mused._

_"Do I wanna know?"_

_Prowl's gaze switched to him. "He suggested a support beam as an instructional method."_

_Rodimus thought for a minute. "Think there's one in storeroom 9c."_

ooOO0OOoo

He had been Prime for almost a year when Skyfire got the call. It was sent over a frequency the shuttle had not used since before he had been lost in the ice, coded with an encryption only he and one other knew.

Starscream, calling to ask for assistance, promising intel in exchange for asylum.

Red Alert succinctly proclaimed trap, and the others weren't very far behind him. But this was an opportunity they couldn't afford to pass up, so Rodimus ordered Mirage in for recon, with an emphasis in caution. Part of the contact message had stated that Starscream was not being monitored, which Mirage was to verify.

If he thought the situation legit, he was to make contact; Skyfire gave Mirage a memory chip, one Starscream would recognize as belonging to him. That chip was to be the method of communication, since direct communication was impossible with Soundwave on base. Message exchange was the only choice.

Rodimus found himself fidgeting the entire time Mirage was gone, worried that he had made the wrong choice and sent one of his mechs to his death.

Mirage returned thirty-eight hours later, with the news that Starscream was sincere.

And that he had been holding a recharging sparkling when Mirage had managed to catch the Seeker alone.

ooOO0OOoo

"He wants to get the sparkling out of there, sir." Mirage managed to keep the incredulity out of his voice during his debriefing. Mostly.

Mirage had commed Rodimus on a private line as soon as he had hit the base perimeter, telling Rodimus he needed to talk to him as soon as possible. Rodimus, in a fit of unusual paranoia, had casually excused himself from the rec room and made his way to his office. Mirage was there by the time he had arrived.

Rodimus couldn't help but gape for a klick. He shook himself, resetting his audio sensors. "Okay. Weird, but okay. Do you know if the sparkling was split-sparked or if we're going to have to add a bondmate to this equation as well?"

"No, I don't believe so. Prime, I - This is going to sound very strange, but..." Mirage hesitated, then continued at Rodimus's expectant expression. "I have reason to believe that the sparkling is Optimus."

Rodimus felt his processors glitch, the world flickering as he rebooted. "Optimus?" he managed.

"Yes, sir." Mirage placed a datachip on Rodimus's desk. "Starscream wasn't expecting my arrival, so he could only download part of the program that was used to regress him, but it seems legitimate."

Rodimus put in a spare pad and data scrolled across the screen, technobabble of the highest order interspersed with diagrams scrolled past. It was almost as bad as one of Perceptor's reports.

"Optimus is *alive*?"

"As a sparkling, yes. Starscream kept calling him 'Optronix'."

"Optronix?" Rodimus blinked. "Why not Optimus?"

Mirage opened his mouth but Rodimus waved his hand. "Never mind. Rhetorical question."

"Prime, as ludicrous as the idea may seem I believe Starscream has become emotionally attached to Optronix, and wishes to leave to keep the child safe."

Rodimus vented a sigh. "That's going to take some doing, especially if it's the both of them."

"Although he is not actively monitored, Starscream seems to be confined to base," Mirage agreed. "But he is confidant that he could manufacture an excuse to leave and take Optronix with him."

"He would," Rodimus snorted. Starscream's arrogance was legendary. "But okay, we'll assume he can. You up for another briefing? Gonna need Prowl and Jazz if we're going to have a chance of pulling this off."

"I'll be fine," Mirage assured him.

"Great." Rodimus gestured him to a seat. "Grab a cube while I get everybody together."

As Mirage slid into the seat, he softly asked, "Is this to be kept between officers?"

Rodimus paused, thinking. "Yeah. You, me, Jazz and Prowl only. For now."


	11. Blue and Gold

Title: Blue Gold  
Author: Lurkerlynne  
Characters: Starscream, Spike Witwiky, Optronix with a little bit of Springer.  
Rating: PG  
Summary: Starscream learns something new about himself.

* * *

Sprawling in the chair at Ratchet's desk, Starscream waited impatiently for Ratchet to arrive. Optronix was playing at his pedes, pushing a car around and making car noises as it turned.

The CMO wanted to install a monitor in Optronix, so that he could be constantly observed medically. Starscream had agreed, both because constant observation would be of great help and also because the monitor would also cut down on Optronix's visits to the repair bay.

That is, if the damn medic would ever _show up_.

Optronix bumped the car into his pede, smiling winningly at him when Starscream frowned down at him. Starscream sighed but said nothing, allowing Optronix to use his pede as a ramp. In the other chair, Springer looked startled; he opened his mouth to say something but subsided at Starscream's glare.

He turned his helm when the door opened, raising an optic in surprise when he saw it was not a mech at all, but rather a human.

"Ah, um, I'm here to install that monitor." Spike Witwicky's smile wavered at Starscream's scowl. "Ratchet got called away to an emergency, and First Aid is in a meeting. I've been apprenticing with Ratchet for ten years and I'm fully qualified, but I'll understand if you want to wait until Ratchet's available."

Starscream hesitated for moment. Though his contempt for humans had not changed since his defection, Starscream didn't feel like waiting around in the office any longer. If Ratchet considered the human to be qualified, he had no objections. Yet. "No, you will do."

"Great!" Witwicky switched his gaze to where Optronix had slid close to Starscream's leg, his toy car forgotten. "Hi. I'm Spike."

"Hi," Optronix shyly replied, looking up at Starscream, then back at Witwicky.

Starscream rested his hand on Optronix's back "He is a human. An organic."

"Huamn?" Optronix peered around Starscream's leg, curiosity in his voice and actions.

"Human," Witwicky confirmed. "This planet is my home."

"Eally?" Optronix came around Starscream's leg to look at him and reached out to touch. Behind Starscream, Springer rose and moved towards them.

"Careful, Optronix," Starscream warned him. "Humans are fragile creatures."

Optronix stopped, hand pulling back. He looked over at Starscream. "Fagil?"

"Just means that you need to be gentle," Witwicky said, reaching up to touch Optronix's arm lightly. "Like this."

Optronix looked at the hand on his arm, reaching up to touch. "Gentle," he agreed. He gripped hard enough to make the human hiss a protest.

"Pology," Optronix muttered, lightening his grip.

"No problem, Optronix."

Optronix proceeded to inspect his hand, then arm, then the rest of him. Witwicky for his part let the sparkling investigate, warning him when he got rough but otherwise went with things. Optronix was fascinated with his clothes, wanting to know why he had to wear them. And his hair was even more fascinating; Optronix had taken to petting it and grinned up at Starscream as though he had made the greatest discovery in the world.

"That is enough, Optronix," Starscream interrupted. "Witwicky needs to install the monitor now. You can play later."

"Aw." Optronix pouted but let Starscream pick him up and carry him to the repair berth Witwicky indicated without protest. Witwicky retrieved the monitor, actually three separate pieces, from Ratchet's office and stepped on a small lift built into the side of the berth. That lift also contained a chest with human-sized tools.

It was... interesting, seeing how the Autobots and humans adapted to each other.

"Can you go loom over there?" Witwicky asked Springer, pointing to the far corner of the repair bay. "And turn down your audios."

"I shouldn't," Springer replied, optics flicking to Starscream.

"I will not harm the human," Starscream informed him. "You have my word."

And before Springer could voice the doubt darkening his optics, Starscream continued. "It would be unwise to damage Witwicky when I am seeking asylum, Autobot."

"He's got a point," The human broke in. "And do you really wanna tell Ratchet you invaded a patient's privacy?"

"All right, all right," Springer grudgingly replied. "I'll go. But," he fixed Starscream with a cold look, "Anything happens to Spike and I take your wings."

"You not hu't Stasceam!" Optronix was standing on the repair berth and glaring at Springer, looking so much like his adult self that Springer took a step back. Starscream nearly did the same.

"He will not." Starscream reassured him, amusement curling through his systems. "We are merely establishing the parameters of our relationship."

"Oh. 'kay." Optronix glanced at Starscream then back at Springer before sitting down on the repair berth and watched the Autobot move to the far wall.

"All right, back to business." Witwicky pulled a small energon cube from his tool chest and Starscream forgot the Autobot watching him in favor of monitoring Optronix.

Optronix would have to be offlined for the installation. It wouldn't have hurt him, but the monitors were to be placed beneath dermal plating in his helm and along the top of his spinal array, and there was another for next to his spark chamber. He needed to be as still as possible.

Optronix drank the sedative-laced energon quickly, making a face and disgusted noises. Taking the empty cube and placing it back into the tool chest, Starscream watched Optronix grow lethargic and slide into recharge quickly.

"Can you hold him?" Witwicky asked. "It would be easier."

Silently, Starscream shifted the limp frame so Witwicky could access the panels on Optronix's helm and back. The human's hands were steady, even though his nervousness registered on Starscream's sensors. His movements were quick, efficient, and he obviously knew what he was doing. Witwicky also worked clean and neat, replacing tools as he finished with them and sterilizing the inside of the panels he accessed before and after installation.

"Okay," Witwicky told him, one hand circling the air. "Can you roll him over? I need access to his spark chamber."

Starscream complied, asking, "You know how to open his chamber?"

"Ratchet gave me this," he said, and waved a small device he had just removed from his tool chest," and Optimus' medical access frequencies and codes."

"Hn. Proceed."

There was a slight hum from the device and then a small click as Optronix's chestplate catches released. Witwicky glanced up at him, waiting for a reaction, before proceeding to open Optronix's chestplates to expose his spark chamber. Glowing, golden-green light lit the area.

"Huh." Witwicky leaned in closer, tracing a finger above the edge of the chamber. "Do your sparks change color as you age?"

"No, not unless something is seriously wrong." He felt a surge of concern rush through his processors; had he missed something? Had the reversal process damaged Optronix?

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because," Witwicky told him, waving a human-sized hand scanner over Optronix's spark chamber and checking the results. "I've seen Optimus Prime's spark before, and it was pure blue."

Startled, Starscream called up the memory files of Optronix's earliest existence; he'd had the sparkling with him for several orns before deciphering the sequence and codes for opening his spark chamber. The spark there had been bluer than it was now but did have a golden-green tinge.

"Mine is gold," he said softly.

"Really?" Witwicky blinked at him. Starscream ignored the human, reaching for the part of his neural architecture that had once linked him with his sparkling. There was a presence, dim but present, where there should be nothing.

Pushing the forming theory into his back processors, Starscream turned to Witwicky. "Continue. Now."

"But..." Witwicky protested, then subsided. "Okay. Okay. Gimme a few minutes."

Witwicky was even more careful, installing the third monitor next to Optronix's spark chamber. Starscream watched as his processors whirled.

"Okay ." Witwicky straightened, turning to check the information displayed on the nearby screen. "Looks good but he needs to wake up before I'll know for sure."

Starscream said nothing, he had watched the installation and it was as good as most medics would have done; he had no fault with Ratchet's choice of replacement despite the fact he was human. He watched Witwicky close Optronix's spark chamber, clean up what little mess he had made and settle in to wait, waving a hand at Springer. Starscream assumed it was a signal that everything was fine when Springer merely raised a hand in response.

Optronix onlined a few breems later, causing the screens to jump and shift with the input from the newly installed monitors. Witwicky carefully watched, manipulating the controls now and again to change the information displayed.

Optronix's presence in Starscream's processors changed as he onlined, growing as the sparkling's systems booted. It was obvious, now that he was paying attention; he would have to go through his memory banks to see if he could pinpoint when the connection had formed.

"Hey, Optronix," Witwicky greeted Optronix as his optics unshuttered. "How you feeling?"

Optronix looked at Starscream. "Answer him. How are you feeling?"

Optronix took a few klicks to run a diagnostic. "Feel funny."

"Funny bad?" Witwicky asked before Starscream could. "Or funny different?"

"Funny-," Optronix paused, thinking. "Funny difent."

"To be expected," Starscream informed him. "That should fade as your systems adjust."

"But," Witwicky spoke up, "if it doesn't, let Starscream know. Okay?"

"'kay," Optronix agreed. He looked at Starscream. "Can go home now?"

"If we are done." A look at Witwicky informed the human if they weren't, they would be soon.

"Yeah, you're good."

"Good." He started to life Optronix onto his back but stopped when Witwicky almost touched the back of his hand.

"Ratchet's gonna be back in a few hours," Witwicky said softly. "I can tell him you wanna talk when he gets back."

"Do that." By the time Ratchet returned, he would have a better idea of the questions he wanted to ask. Until then, he had research to do.

Swinging Optronix onto his back, Starscream strode for the door. Behind him, he could hear Springer's steps as he ran to catch up.

"Bye, Spike!" Optronix called back as they headed out.


	12. Blue and Gold the sequel

Summary: Ratchet gets a visit from Starscream.  
Author Notes: I've done some editing here 'n there.  
Author Notes #2: Ratchet is based on my mother, a career nurse. One of these days I'll get around to telling her she's a giant alien robot on the internet. :)

* * *

Thirteen hours after returning from the battleground of the latest Decepticon attempt to steal energy, Ratchet was still grumbling his way through his tool-check. His apprentices kept everything in the repair bay in top condition, but each medic was responsible for their field kit, including the CMO. He was cleaning dried Energon off the handle of a patch welder when the repair bay doors opened. Ratchet looked up to see Starscream striding into his repair bay. There was a faint scowl on his face; though that may have been because Ultra Magnus quietly loomed behind him.

"Ratchet," he said without preamble. "I need to speak with you."

"Spike said you would be dropping by," Ratchet said. Packing his kit away, he gestured towards his office. Ultra Magnus moved to follow but stopped when Ratchet told him. "Privately, if you please, Magnus."

Magnus nodded and cast Starscream a warning look before he settled himself outside the office, which was not only soundproofed but was as heavily safeguarded as Prime's office. Starscream flicked his optics around the room; not that there was much there to look at. Ratchet didn't like spending time in his office and it showed. The computer, which was incorporated into his desk, was kept separate from Teletraan-1, so a nosy parker would have a hard time getting to his medical records. That was also why he had a monitor instead of holoscreens; one could read a holoscreen from behind with a little effort.

Aside from the desk and comfortable chairs, there were pictures drawn by the younglings on the cabinet doors. Ratchet refused to keep those pictures in the repair bay proper as there were more than a few times where the bay looked like a massacre had happened. He didn't want the younglings' pictures destroyed.

Securing the door, Ratchet gestured to a seat. "Is this about the monitor installation? Spike said you had questions."

"Why would a spark change color?"

Ratchet blinked in surprise, rapidly recalling Spike's medical report. "Several reasons... What color did his spark change to?"

"Mine."

Starscream folded his arms and glared defiantly at him. Defiance and a little fear, Ratchet noted; Starscream hid it well but Ratchet had been observing mechs for almost as long as the Seeker had been online, and he could tell this disturbed him greatly.

"Yours?" Ratchet straightened, the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That's, that's excellent."

Starscream scowled. "How so?"

"Oh, stop looming and sit down," Ratchet said, waving a hand at him. He seated himself in his own chair, twisting to open the bottom drawer of his desk. "He's fine, you're fine, nobody's hurt."

"You will be if you don't explain yourself!"

Ratchet vented a laugh, and pulled out a cube of high grade and two smaller, empty cubes. "You obviously didn't know this, but it's possible to establish a creation bond with a sparkling not your own."

Starscream looked shocked. "How?"

"The backing definitely helped, assisting the connection of your spark to his." Ratchet poured some of the high-grade into the empty cubes and handed one to Starscream. He took it somewhat gratefully, quaffing it. Ratchet refilled the cube and continued his explanation. "All it takes is deep affection between adult and sparkling and time, and it's no secret the kid loves you."

Starscream frowned down at his drink.

"And from what I've seen, you love him just as much," Ratchet told him gently. He swirled the energon around in his cube, regarding Starscream pensively. "It must be difficult for you. Skyfire's told me what happened to your family-"

Starscream's frame stiffened in defense. "Skyfire told you that?"

"Patient confidentiality, Starscream." Ratchet took a drink of his own. "He told me in strictest privacy."

"...And you intend to keep that privacy?"

"Yup." Ratchet leaned back in his chair. "But back to the spark-change; it's rare but it happens. Creation bonds are more likely to form with younger sparklings but I once saw one form with a youngling of 12 vorns. The color of both sparks change, indicating a bond's formed; if we checked, yours would be bluer. The usual effects of a creation bond -"

"I am familiar with those bonds," Starscream said flatly.

"I'm certain you are." Ratchet let that subject drop. "But as I was about to say, as far as your sparks are concerned, you created Optronix."

Starscream fell silent for a moment.

"Do you," Starscream began quietly, looking into his cube, "intend to put that in your medical report?"

"I should." Ratchet took a sip of his high-grade. "Do you not want me to?"

"I- " Starscream suddenly looked lost. "I don't know."

Ratchet let Starscream contemplate his energon for a few minutes. "I don't mean to change the subject, but the monitor Spike installed shows that Optronix's lisp is not going to correct itself; software problems."

Starscream seemed grateful for the distraction. "Is it correctable?"

"Uh-huh, simple software patch," Ratchet said. "One that Optimus didn't have; I checked his records."

"Hmmn." Starscream leaned back into his chair, finger tapping his cube. "Is it possible the patch wasn't entered?"

"Unlikely," Ratchet informed him. He set his now-empty cube on the desk and began queuing up medical files on the monitor. "He was under the care of the same youngling-medic until maturity; that medic also built him."

"Intriguing." Starscream's optics dimmed and lost focus. "Did you-"

"Compare the test results with those of Optimus at the same age? I did." Ratchet called up the results and turned the monitor so Starscream could read it. "They're nearly identical."

Starscream leaned closer, finger tracing a line on a graph. "The differences are miniscule," he murmured, mostly to himself. Placing his cube out of the way, Starscream pulled the keyboard close and paged through the results, until he came to something that obviously belonged to Optimus.

The Seeker started, hands freezing on the keyboard, then pushing it towards Ratchet. "My apologies."

Ratchet rearranged the keyboard so that both of them could access it. "None needed; you are, after all, his creator."

"Optronix's creator; not Optimus Prime's."

"Mmn." Ratchet raised an eye ridge at him, calling up a picture of Optimus as he had been before becoming Prime. "Part of those differences is due to the differences in frames; Optronix is going to resemble Optimus when he finishes 'growing'."

"He was reformatted? Before becoming Prime?" Starscream gaped at the screen. "This is him?"

"Orion Pax," Ratchet said softly. "Back before the war started."

Starscream leaned forward to get a closer look, fingertip touching the screen. "I have seen this mech."

Ratchet felt his optic ridges rise. "You have?"

"An outing, near the spaceport. A moment's inattention and my sparkling wandered off." Starscream was so intent on the picture that he didn't seem to realize how open he was being. He gestured at the picture. "This mech returned her."

Ratchet shook his head in wonder. "Orion was a dock worker before the Council profiled him as a candidate for Prime. He was damaged in an attack; an attempt to take an energon shipment. He was pretty much completely rebuilt."

"And then he became Prime."

"Uh-huh." Ratchet grinned. "I think the Council of Ancients thought he'd be easier to control than the older candidate. He was very young."

They shared a look; if Optimus Prime had been as biddable as the Council wanted, the war would have been over practically as soon as it started. With Megatron holding the Matrix.

"But back to the topic at hand; I can have the patch ready a day after tomorrow. When did you want to bring Optronix in?"

Starscream gazed at the monitor for a few klicks, then said thoughtfully. "In three orns; that will give me time to explain the situation to Optronix and for him to adjust."

"All right. Do you want Spike to do it?" Ratchet grinned wider at Starscream's baleful look. "Kidding. Unless something happens, I'll be on duty."

"Hn." Starscream stood, pushing the monitor back into position. "We will be there."

"Allrightythen." Ratchet nearly snickered at the look that flashed across Starscream's face, then remembered. "Oh, wait."

"Now what?" Starscream grumped.

Ratchet retrieved a toy car from his office desk and rose to hand it Starscream. "Found it earlier. Optronix has been the only youngling to come in the last few days."

Ratchet flipped the toy car out of the way when Starscream reached for it. "I've been wondering if you had given any thought to upgrading Optronix for a subspace pocket. He's at the right age and it'll keep him from misplacing his things."

Starscream's optics flickered in surprise. "I... had considered that upgrade but discarded it due to the picotrons."

"They shouldn't interfere; I've asked the others to make certain and we all think the picotrons would adapt. It's easily removed if something happens."

At Starscream's skeptical look, the flier really did love the kid, Ratchet continued. "First pocket generator's pretty much a plug-in; the pocket is small - Thing wouldn't fit, for instance - and doesn't have much of a power draw. You noticed the hatch below Optronix's cydraulic access?"

Starscream nodded. "Yes. On the right side of his torso. I opened it and saw attachment points-"

"-for the subspace generator. I can install it along with the patch." Ratchet offered the car again. "I can send you the others' findings to double check, if you'd like."

"I would, yes." Starscream took the toy, looking at it before tucking it into a subspace pocket. Ratchet slipped past him to the door, but hesitated before unlocking it. He turned back to Starscream.

"The creation-bond needs to go in his records but there is no reason to inform anyone else. I'll lock it under my codes; no one else will see it when they call the file up."

Starscream eyed him, gauging his sincerity, before nodding. "Thank you."

Opening the door, Ratchet stepped out. Magnus caught his optic, blipping a questioning tone to Ratchet's comm; Ratchet sent back the standard "everything-fine/stand-down" tone.

Starscream merely strode past them both, heading for the exit. Magnus managed to convey rolled optics without doing so to Ratchet and hurried to catch up.

Ratchet watched the doors close behind them before returning to his toolkit.

ooOO0OOoo

The next day, Starscream had looked over the Autobot scientists' report and found that he agreed with Ratchet; it should be safe to upgrade Optronix. The speech patch should integrate smoothly and the subspace pocket would cause only a few problems until Optronix's power systems adapted.

Now to explain to Optronix. They were in the process of getting Optronix ready for his bath when he broached the subject.

"Why I have to go see 'atchet?" Optronix whined. "Had test. Got montuh."

"I know you have," Starscream told him patiently from his crouched position. "But the tests have shown that your speech programs are not working properly. Ratchet is going to fix that."

Optronix thought for a few klicks. "Will I have be offline?"

"No. It is a simple download; it will go better if you are online."

"'kay." Optronix looked apprehensive.

"And," Starscream said, "he will upgrade you for a subspace pocket."

"Eally?" Optronix brightened. "Get pock't?"

"Yes. I think it is time."

Optronix ran forward to throw his arms around Starscream's neck. "Yay!"

Thrown off balance, Starscream managed to sit down before he fell. He wrapped his arms around Optronix and hugged him; the sparkling squeaked, chortling at the tightness of the embrace.

Levering himself to his pedes, Starscream tucked Optronix under his arm, his helm down and pedes up so the sparkling was hanging upside down, and headed for the washrack. Optronix giggled the entire way, squealing when Starscream gently dropped him in his bath, trusting Optronix's safety systems to shut down his air intakes.

Optronix surfaced, wiping at his optics. "Do 'gain!"

"Not tonight." Starscream picked up a brush and started on the small helm, making Optronix squirm.

"Hold still," he said firmly. "Or do you wish to grow crystals on your antennae?"

"No kystals!" Optronix giggled, hands covering his audios.

"Then hold still," he said.

Washing Optronix generally didn't take long; it was just happening more often now that he was in daycare and had access to all the art supplies. Optronix frequently ended his daycare time looking like someone's art project. Someone color-blind, with a love of adhesives.

After scrubbing away the last blob of glue, Starscream handed Optronix a bucket of bath toys, a gift from Jazz. Optronix happily occupied himself while Starscream took care of his own cleansing.

Afterwards, and after setting the bath to recycle, Starscream wrapped Optronix in a drying towel and settled on the couch; Starscream himself was already dry but Optronix's delicate dermal plating needed gentler cleansers and those needed more time to dry.

Or assistance. Optronix used the towel to dry himself off while Starscream retrieved the polish.

"All done!" Optronix grinned at him, a streak of cleanser gleaming on the bill of his helm.

"So you are." Starscream took the towel, using it to swipe Optronix's helm dry before spreading it out across his lap, giving Optronix a soft place to lay while being polished. Optronix flopped across it on his front side, pedes kicking in the air as he watched Starscream pour some polish on a cloth.

"Your front first, Optronix."

A put-upon sigh and Optronix rolled over. Starscream raised an optic ridge at the theatrics but didn't say anything; it would just encourage the sparkling.

Optronix shuttered his optics tight when Starscream started to polish his face. He relaxed when Starscream continued to his helm, letting the Seeker reposition him without resistance, slowly falling limp as the polishing motions relaxed him.

By the time Starscream turned him over to polish his back, Optronix was well into the first stages of recharge, optics half-shuttered and one hand curling lightly around Starscream's knee guard.

Once finished with Optronix, Starscream gently shifted the small frame to lay beside him. He opened his own can of polish and began to smooth out the day's nicks and scratches.

All the while listening to his sparkling whirr and click softly as his presence hummed in his processors.


	13. Dance

This one's both part of the prompt table and Kite Strings, so I'm putting it here, too.

Prompt: 02 Dance  
Author: Lurkerlynne  
Characters: Starscream, Prowl, Jazz  
Rating: PG  
Summary: There are many forms of dancing.

* * *

Starscream hit the practice mat and rolled, coming to his pedes smoothly and shifting his balance to aim a kick at his opponent's helm.

Prowl dodged but didn't manage to get out the way fast enough and Starscream clipped a doorwing. Prowl, instead of flinching away, overrode the sensor relays for that appendage and grabbed Starscream's pede.

Starscream reacted by activating his anti-gravs, suspending his mass long enough to shift position and set himself up to use Prowl's grip as a pivot to land a kick right at the joint where his arm met his shoulder.

"Halt!"

The bellow had them separating, Starscream pulling his kick and turning it into a roll while Prowl threw himself backwards. They faced each other, cooling systems working hard even in the cold air of the exercise room. They each made the ritual gesture of 'fight over" and then turned to face Jazz, who had been judging the bout.

"Foul; Starscream." Jazz's voice range through the gym, cutting across the murmur of the spectators. "That was a potentially crippling blow."

Starscream blinked, recalling the move he had been engaged in right before Jazz ended things. The mech was correct; that had been outside the rules agreed upon.

Starscream had been sparring with battledrones, testing his newly-repaired frame, when Prowl had entered, watched for a few klicks, then suggested a sparring match. Jazz, his escort and guard for the day, had agreed to judge. The crowd had gathered not long after.

"Slag that!" someone called out, anonymous in the crowd. "He tried to kill you!"

"Over-reacting much? The blow," Jazz informed the crowd, "would've damaged the shoulder joint if the foot turbine had been activated, but it wouldn't have been fatal."

"Still, it was a foolish move on my part," Prowl spoke up.

Starscream arched an optic ridge, surprised. Prowl flicked his optics his way before turning his gaze on the crowd.

"Foot turbines are the main method of Seeker flight and their initial reaction is to protect them; the turbines also act as weapons and a Seeker will use them as such." Prowl looked abashed. "It was careless of me to put myself in that position."

"Damn right." Jazz put in. "Could've lost that arm."

"I have sufficient control to prevent that," Starscream snapped.

"Yup, you do," Jazz cheerfully told him before turning to the crowd. "Okay, show's over, people. Vamoose."

The gawking Autobots filed out, murmurs rising as they flocked out the door.

Jazz and Prowl watched them go before turning to Starscream. "Good fight," Jazz told him.

"As you say." Starscream moved to where a small pile of energon cubes waited, snatching one up.

"It was," Prowl joined him, downing half his cube in one gulp. "Until I grabbed your pede, you were holding to the rules."

"Hn." Starscream initiated a diagnostic while he finished his energon and picked up a second cube.

"Yeah," Jazz leaned against the wall next to Prowl. "Everybody knows Seekers kick first, ask later when that happens."

"Or they should." Prowl frowned thoughtfully. "A number seemed surprised."

"Not many of you groundbound mechs go hand to hand with a flier." Starscream snorted. His systems check came back showing he was low on energon and running slightly hot; expected, considering he had been engaged in sparring.

"True." Prowl was now frowning thoughtfully at Starscream.

Unnerved, Starscream snapped. "What?"

"Would you be amenable to doing this again?" Prowl asked.

"What?" Starscream blinked, startled.

"Few Autobots are skilled enough to challenge me," Prowl informed him. "I find I miss the freedom of fighting outside the battlefield."

"What?" Starscream said again, feeling as though he was caught in a loop.

"You are still adjusting to the repairs Ratchet performed but there is every indication that you will be of sufficient skill to be a challenge."

"It has been," an eternity, "a long time since I sparred with any regularity," Starscream told him.

"That is a concern," Prowl agreed. "But I believe we can both adjust."


End file.
